freelance pricing

[seandinwiddie]

Would any one have advice on how to quote a freelancing [flat?] fee? Particularly environment work, since the detail and size of a model(s) can vary quite a bit.

I am trying to get some small freelance jobs myself and, being unexperienced doing freelance, was a bit unsure how to approach the price quote question.

Sean

[Gavin]

Because I'm really lazy, I'll just copy.paste something I posted before on PC regarding a similar question:

I'd try to go hourly as much as possible but you could also set a price for the actual piece and then charge hourly for adjustments/changes.

I generally try to break everything down to the hour because it's easy to track and work with. Locking into one price without specifying charges for reworking it can come back to bite you in the ass. If the client really can't make up their mind, they can easily take advantage of your time.

You've got to keep in mind that when a company hires you as an actual employee, there's a bunch of stuff they cover that you now have to. For me it's my families health insurance, electricity, I had to upgrade hardware, software, etc. Take all of these things into account, then set the price you absolutely need to make before you'll start dipping into the red. Don't forget that you also have to take care of your own taxes...so, keep track of all of that and maybe even make a separate bank account that you deposit 30% (or whatever your tax rate is) into. That way, you don't fool yourself with how much money you have and it will be much like getting a pay check from an employer.

I have an excel sheet with all of my clients/assets that calculates and keeps track of who owes me money, who's legs I need to break, who paid up, the assets that need to be completed...and the payout of those assets and time taken. I add all of the pay together to calculate how much money I've made to date and automatically deduct my tax percentage off of it. That way, I can see what's ACTUAL money and what's going to the man. I also add together all of the time taken and, if I want to, can keep track of how much I'm making per day, on average. Kind of a good way to keep an eye on how things are going. Do I need to charge more? Am I taking too long? Do i need to take on more jobs? etc.

Prices will always change. It all depends on what's needed, how good you are, what your cost of living will be (like mentioned above), etc. If you're really green, yeah, I'd low ball it. Just be careful though, people will only pay you how much you think you're worth, y'know? It's possible that this client could be reoccurring and could even recommend other people to you. If you charged the first company $200 for a texture but eventually realize you're worth $400 a texture...it can become awkward...and stuff :P

WORD!
Gav

[seandinwiddie]

Hey Gavin,

Thanks a bunch for the info. That helps a lot.

Sean

[Gavin]

No problem dude, hope it works out for you. I'd also recommend getting an accountant if you're going to get hardcore with it. I used to have one but am now on the look out for a new one. The amount of money they can save you is awesome...plus, not really having to do that stuff on your own is one less headache and gives you more time to do your actual job :P

Gav

[Kalango]

Gavin already answered very well...but anyways let me say something :D:
It will always depend, depends on your time expend, on the quality, size, and project budget.
For non professional work, in a single simple model i can charge from $60 up to $160, it depends if its low poly, high poly, texture quality, if its jointed or animated or either, and so on.
Since you work with props and environment, it depends the size of the map, the texture quality, the normal maps(if its included or not), the lighting set up, and it depends if the client requires you to work with any specific engine, like UE3 or Hammer or anything else. It will depend on the number of props and how they will interact inside the game. Since maps and environments are way more specific and long to work with, you will obviously charge way more than you would charge in a single model. I would say from $100 to whatever you think its ok for the amount of work you had. Like, a full working level, with a good number of props, high quality textures, lighting and engine set up, well...i think it would cost at least $400-$800, and it also depends if the game or project is non-comercial(depends on how they will evolve with this and the future plans), small port comercial(no big advertisement or popularity, but a few people playing it, like minor mmorpgs or half popular MODs) or high port comercial(big advertisement, huge games made by big corporations etc, or very popular MODs or packs).
Anyway...it will always depend on what, for who and how. I hope i helped...

later pal.

[seandinwiddie]

Yes Kalango, that is helpful. I do appreciate the advice. Thanks.

Sean

[poopinmymouth]

I figure out how much a day of my time is worth (8 hours). Almost every client I know wants a quote per asset. So I estimate how long an asset will take (you'll get better with this over time) and take how many days I think I'll spend and multiply times my daily rate to get the quote I give. Like Gavin said, I specify that revisions not related to matching the original concept are charged by the hour. In other words if the revisions is needed because I messed up = free. If the revision is needed because the client changed their mind, didn't provide detailed enough reference/concept, or is just being fickle = their money. It's amazing how happy someone will get when they have to pay by the hour for the fixes.

So the best thing to do is to figure out what you think your time is worth. You don't necessarily need to compare yourself to someone else's rate, just figure out what an hour, and a day, of your own time is worth to yourself.

Also realize that sometimes pricepoint is more important to a client than quality. I'll gladly speed up or cut corners on an asset to meet a pricepoint if they agreed to that method to begin with. Meaning if the asset would normally take 10 days, but they can't afford 10 days of my time, but still really want me to do it. I can do it in 5, and I'll adjust all areas of asset creation to fit. It won't be as nice as the 10 day version, but it's half the price!

http://www.mr-chompers.com/images/poop.gif (http://www.poopinmymouth.com)

[seandinwiddie]

Hey Ben, thanks so much for input!

I hear what you're saying. I have had to work those "less of a product, per request" skills more in to my list of techniques, though it is so against my nature. A lot of the time I will have had gone all the way fore my own satisfaction/pride- which usually hurts me more in the long run.
Once, a previous employer, in desperation to wring my skills out of me for a deadline, darted to the quickie Mart and back, placed a paper plate on my desk and said "this is what I want" as he spray cheese whiz on it. Some how, as much as I resented it, that freed me up to not try so hard or care so much. I think the results turn out better as well*bastard*.

Thanks everyone, for your reply to my humble thread....