Estimating hours on a book design

[graphicartsgirl1]

I have an opportunity to design a table top photo book that will be approximately 180 pages including text and photos. the photos will be individually placed on pages and other pages will be text only. I will need to work both with the artist and with the printer to complete the book. Any ideas on how many hours this project SHOULD take for a reasonably experienced designer? (I know being my first book it will take much longer) :D

[mattbing]

It depends. Are the images already digitized? Will you need to colour correct them? Or manipulate them? Is the text supplied electronically, and is it going to be final when you receive it? How many rounds of changes?

You should consider all these things first off. Ask them, they should know.

[graphicartsgirl1]

The photos will be digital, sized to print and in 300 resolution.

[budafist]

Do a page to perfection - including the colour correction for the photographs on that page. Time it and then multiply by 180 pages. Add an extra 30% on the time for any unexpected things.

That's what I'd do. You might find you get faster as you go along, but there might be problems also.