freelance rate.
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- e-pill
i have a job where there isnt an available machine for me to work on. the comapnay asked if i had a laptop to bring in and work on site...
do you have different rates if you bring your own machine to the job?
i dont feel comfortable in bringing my machine to any job as i feel the tools should be provided by the client.
yesterday i was on their extra available machine but today that unit is not available.
i am bringing in my laptop today but i feel i should re-negotiate my rate since i am using my own laptop.
what do you think???
- e-pill0
anyone??
- sedg000
i have a similiar situation at my place. although i aint freelancing, i'm on a full time contract!
i dont mind though, cos it's my machine, i know my way around it all etc, i can take all the work home easily and do stuff whenever i want to.
but as you are freelancing, i think it's pretty unfair you brining your machine to work on. try telling them that though!
i guess it depends on how well you know your agency. perhaps make a light hearted joke about it and see how well that goes down.
in some places i have known, freelancers are expected to bring their own machines!
- rasko40
in the film industry freelancers are usually contracted at a standard rate, plus a computer hire rate, for using their laptop on site.
However, the standard rate is usally lower than in other industries in order to factor in the computer, so it works out the same. At the end of the day, you have to figure out if it's worth upsetting people and losing work. I'm in a similar situation at the moment whereby a client (design agency) wants me to work at home, but at a standard rate, I feel I shold charge extra for my computer and power, but then, I could potentially be getting a fair amount of work so I may leave it.
in short - no help at all. LOL
- e-pill0
actually rasko that is where i am concerned...i dont want to damage any relation i have with this client as they are new, but i dont want to be taken advantage of either.
this is not thru an ageny, an old client of mine introduced me to them and we just started a relationship just a few days ago.
i am getting a very nice solid rate currently from them but that is on their tools on thier time.
plus thier environment is purely pc. and its not the funnest for a mac user such as myself, so if i accomplish the job smoother on my machine as i am comfortable with it wouldnt it be fair if i raise my rate too?
- normal0
Charge for it. Something like $30 a day. I always charge if I have to provide my own system really, it's wear and tear and basically equipment hire in addition to person hire. When working with photographers, you usually pay for the camera hire as well, even if they own their own as it's in excess of their personal service.
- e-pill0
so just an added minimum cost for a day rate or an hourly rate?
i am currently on hourly.
- normal0
Charge it separate from your day rate so that they know. Just like technically I can charge clients for travel and all sorts of other stuff.
- normal0
Just put it on as a fixed daily fee.
- e-pill0
i see, ok sounds good and stays professional and keeps them/ me happy.
- normal0
exactly.
- Bottlerocket0
USing your own machine, assumes that you are also prividing your own software. Which you no doubt paid for and therefore have everyright to pass this cost on to the client.
- e-pill0
yes bottlerocket thats wht i thought.
- Teeuwen0
uhm, i got a question to peeps who freelanced for big design companies. i once did for a few days for an Amsterdam agency and fuck me but that paid pretty decent!
what are your thoughts?
- enjine0
definitely charge them.
i would worry most about traveling to their office with the laptop every day. what if that shit broke? it's a new laptop, ed!you're putting a lot on the line just by having it with you.
- tkmeister0
your machine, your software. especially since you actually have a legit copy of cs, you should def charge extra. also, if anything happens to your machine, you have to pay to fix it, not them. what if it gets stolen while at work? would they pay for that? address some of your concerns and they should understand.
however, they could always say the rate include those costs. we are in the very competitive market. someone would take your spot without complaining...
- mrdobolina0
What if suddenly your machine gets the beach ball while you are working? Do you have to support it?
- aliceblue0
I do a lot of freelancing for one agency and when they don't have an available work station I work from my home-studio.
I told then my setup - laptop -
monitor - set up on a network -
firewall and blah blah blah....(so couldn't possibly drag the whole thing in tee hee)It works well for both of us!!!!
- e-pill0
i gave them a $50 day fee for my laptop.
thanks for all your help. they had no problem with it either.
- barbtastic0
add it as an extra charge/hour on your invoice, not grouped in with the hourly rate... same way you'd charge for any other materials aquired by you to do their job...
hey, kinkos does it :D