Not pricing, but hours

[wookie]

Ok, I got a contract with another desiger and immediately, she tells me she needs me to give her an estimate ASAP on how many hours (not money! hours) it would take to do a certain project. The project is:

-double sided 8.5 x 11 with branding done already
-text and layout
-repeat 4 times with a different "theme"

I'm thinking it will take me 4 hours for the original and possibly two for each subsequent? But I don't want to underquote, or overquote. I wish she'd give me more time but I'm under the gun.

Any input you have would be great.

[CkretAjint]

ALWAYS give a 'between x and x amount of hours'! You say 4 hours, so tell her between '4 and 6 for the original and between 2 and 4 for each one there after.'

That way you hit your goal in hours and have some extra to kick around with incase you run into troubles. Plus, if you hit the low end you look like a God.

That's how I would approach it. :)

[wookie]

I'm working via someone else, so I'm not sure if she would find that acceptable, but I will try it. Thanks!

[CkretAjint]

Always guestimate it this way: 1 number on the low end if everything goes smoothly, and 1 number on the high end if everything goes wrong. Just make sure you fall in that range and you are good. Sometimes you can't help if information isn't supplied correctly, or of something fails causing you to go over the time.... That' why it is a guestimate. ;)

[D-Frag]

she should find it acceptable, she should also realize that after that quoted time additional charges will be added. make sure you put that in writing, im no fan of making changes for days on end when it could of been done on the very first proof.

[budafist]

Exactly. Not every job goes as smoothly as the "dream jobs" and you need to account for the jobs that various changes or problems along the way. The client or other designer needs to know the time they can save by providing accurate files or all the right info from the start. Give them a range.

Example, I had to do a 16 page brochure. It may have taken 5 hours if all the images and text had been provided at the start. But because all the text was jibberish and all the images were placeholders only at the start, each time I got a new image or some updated text, I had to work to make it fit again. The job ended up taking 32 hours.

Clients should know that if they get their act together on the agreed deadline, it makes the job a whole lot quicker.

As designers we also need to be firm about what we need from our clients BEFORE starting a project...or is it just me? How many times have you started a project without all the text and images only to spend extra hours at the end trying to make it fit?

[tZ]

text and image- isn't that our job,lol

client:
I would like a brochure.

designer:
Do you have text

client:
what?- isn't that what you do?

designer:
(secretly imagines themself strangling client),lol

[budafist]

It's a good idea then to give the the contact details of some copywriters :D If they squirm at the price, then they can come up with their own copy. Let's just hope they get their daughter or nephew to proof read it first!

[Seapony]

she should find it acceptable, she should also realize that after that quoted time additional charges will be added. make sure you put that in writing, im no fan of making changes for days on end when it could of been done on the very first proof.
Ditto on this. Make sure they realize this doesn't include the time used for revisions.

I would err on the side of caution and add a bit more time rather than trying to come up with a more accurate assessment, as a contractor on say a construction project might do. That way if and when you come under that time, adjusting the estimate will be easier on them (than having to charge for more time) plus you'll look good for finishing earlier than expected.

;)