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Dave Rawn
10-13-2007, 1:03 PM
In my business I do a lot of custom cut outs of various designs. When I started this I would always do the quotes and minor design changes at no charge. This made my present customers happy and attracted new ones as well. Here's the problem. Most of the designs I started out with were simple and it only took 10-15 minutes to scan in and convert them to cut out to get a cut time and then provide a quote. Lately the designs are very complex and are very time consuming. The last one I did took about 3 1/2 hours to complete and cut. I can' keep giving me time away at this rate. So what would you do? Grin and bear it or charge a fee for the design work and quote and how much would you charge. Just need your opinion on this
Thanks for your advice
Dave

Bill Cunningham
10-13-2007, 3:25 PM
Hi Dave.. I'm a 'one man band' (like most in this business) and have a basic shop charge of $60.00 per hour.. For custom work, the customer 'must' understand that a job that takes 3 hours, takes three hours! I'm sure they would not work 3 hours for free, so neither should you.. I make sure that my customers are aware of what it takes to make a file perform for a particular job, and give them the opportunity to supply the file in the correct format (all curves vector), or ask them to send me the file they propose to use, and I will give them an idea of how long it will take me to make it work (if it's at all possible)... This can also be called 'setup charges' My minimum 'setup charge' is $10.00, and this would be for a 'ready to use file' that I just have to bring into corel (with no complications), and port to the laser for simple placement (fits into the 90% corner without props,jigs,tape,etc...Anything else costs more..). Then, a etching or engraving charge based on the actual sq. inch area being lasered. Once they have paid for the file work needed, I keep it on file, and 'minor' modifications are free for the next time it's used. (minor modifications can be 'very' subjective)

Niklas Bjornestal
10-13-2007, 5:07 PM
In my business I do a lot of custom cut outs of various designs. When I started this I would always do the quotes and minor design changes at no charge. This made my present customers happy and attracted new ones as well. Here's the problem. Most of the designs I started out with were simple and it only took 10-15 minutes to scan in and convert them to cut out to get a cut time and then provide a quote. Lately the designs are very complex and are very time consuming. The last one I did took about 3 1/2 hours to complete and cut. I can' keep giving me time away at this rate. So what would you do? Grin and bear it or charge a fee for the design work and quote and how much would you charge. Just need your opinion on this
Thanks for your advice
Dave

I think its very hard to get paid for a quote... I know i would never pay anyone to get to know how much a job is going to cost me.

Mike Null
10-13-2007, 9:17 PM
Dave
There are people you can outsource this to and still mark their price up a few dollars. With that you'll be lower than by doing it yourself.

One is a member of SMC if you want to check the list of suppliers.