What would you price this job at? (7 houses on a new development plot).

[fixeighted]

Hmmm, well it's not that I have improved, though that's undeniable; moreso, tech has sped up my workflow and become far more capable iteratively, so it's now within the reach of literally anyone who can afford a sub to Vray and some cash for assets.
The barrier to entry has been lowered, and I realise that and personally am happy with that progress/availability.

I wish I'd been born later, of course

There is however the subject of what experience brings to the discussion. I have tons, in many many areas, that the above doesn't factor in, so purely for that reason it's annoying (in the current situation).

Bottom line for me is; I have my day rate and that isn't changing for the foreseeable future, as it's based on partially what you described and the fact that I see myself as worth that.
I'm incredibly lucky to still have projects coming in....seemingly from nowhere, as I do not advertise. Luckily it's not pure archvis for me, for the most part, as that has essentially dried up due to all of the above.
For lone archvis freelancers the future seems bleak/er - that is, apart from you it seems

Diversifying seems to serve well

[glorybound]

Hmmm, well it's not that I have improved, though that's undeniable; moreso, tech has sped up my workflow and become far more capable iteratively, so it's now within the reach of literally anyone who can afford a sub to Vray and some cash for assets.
The barrier to entry has been lowered, and I realise that and personally am happy with that progress/availability.

I wish I'd been born later, of course

There is however the subject of what experience brings to the discussion. I have tons, in many many areas, that the above doesn't factor in, so purely for that reason it's annoying (in the current situation).

Bottom line for me is; I have my day rate and that isn't changing for the foreseeable future, as it's based on partially what you described and the fact that I see myself as worth that.
I'm incredibly lucky to still have projects coming in....seemingly from nowhere, as I do not advertise. Luckily it's not pure archvis for me, for the most part, as that has essentially dried up due to all of the above.
For lone archvis freelancers the future seems bleak/er - that is, apart from you it seems

Diversifying seems to serve well

About 15 years ago, I learned about V-Ray and saw what people were producing. Already in the biz for a decade, I knew I had to up my game to compete. The software came out, so what I was doing was being done cheaply on the computer; I had to be better. It's the same thing today. Software and hardware are cheaper, and we have AI, but people are still producing low-quality work, and that kind of work can be done in-house, so if they want more, they have to look and find us. Most of my work comes from people who have already gone for the cheap and low-quality, and can't use what the architect produces. If you are good, you'll be valuable. Web design, which I also used to do. I bailed when things like Squarespace and WIX came out, but I know people who make a great living still creating web pages. Why? They are better than the cheap solutions.

AI raises poor quality and lowers good quality. I am an avid amateur photographer (thanks to this forum), and AI was running my photos; it ruined everything. Why? Because I was exposing and focusing on the camera, which was already good. AI might be good if I had out-of-focus and under/over-exposed photos, like someone not good with their camera. I am finding the same thing with my renderings.

Once these AI investors want a return, the cost of AI will become expensive. I have already canceled my AI subscriptions. Writing is my weak skill, so AI works excellently. However, it destroys the copy of a professional writer.

I hijacked this post, so I'll let it go.

[Pixelcon]

No models supplied, no landscape plan provided, but for sure it’d need more than just grass shown in site plan. Full 3D.


Dean, one day for me would be absolutely impossible.

3k euro plus outsourcing for modeling.

[fixeighted]

3k euro plus outsourcing for modeling.

3k? That sounds unreasonable if you don't mind me saying so. It's one image, probably for crappy marketing...local (online) news and the like, so I would base pricing on that and their perceived budget.
Of course maybe there are parameters of their request that we're unaware of.

Out of interest how do you break that down?

Other than that, it turns out to be a most interesting post that has sparked good discussion. I am curious as to the amount JezUK quoted that they found so unreasonable.

Also, will there be cake for the winner?

[fixeighted]

About 15 years ago, I learned about V-Ray and saw what people were producing. Already in the biz for a decade, I knew I had to up my game to compete. The software came out, so what I was doing was being done cheaply on the computer; I had to be better. It's the same thing today. Software and hardware are cheaper, and we have AI, but people are still producing low-quality work, and that kind of work can be done in-house, so if they want more, they have to look and find us. Most of my work comes from people who have already gone for the cheap and low-quality, and can't use what the architect produces. If you are good, you'll be valuable. Web design, which I also used to do. I bailed when things like Squarespace and WIX came out, but I know people who make a great living still creating web pages. Why? They are better than the cheap solutions.

AI raises poor quality and lowers good quality. I am an avid amateur photographer (thanks to this forum), and AI was running my photos; it ruined everything. Why? Because I was exposing and focusing on the camera, which was already good. AI might be good if I had out-of-focus and under/over-exposed photos, like someone not good with their camera. I am finding the same thing with my renderings.

Once these AI investors want a return, the cost of AI will become expensive. I have already canceled my AI subscriptions. Writing is my weak skill, so AI works excellently. However, it destroys the copy of a professional writer.

I hijacked this post, so I'll let it go.

I merely toy with AI, I don't subscribe to use any, as the results I saw didn't merit my financial engagement versus need.

Writing/grammar/proof-reading is deeply within my skillset, so if you need a hand just shout

[glorybound]

3k euro plus outsourcing for modeling.

I break things out as if I were to outsource. Outsource cost + 30%. A while back I needed help and each part of the process cost more outsourcing then the whole project, which was an eye-opener. Heck, a color grader wanted more then I was getting for the whole kit and kaboodle. We thing we are providing a rendering, but what we are providing is modeling, texture mapping, composition, color-grading. and hardware rental.

• Price to model
• Price to texture map
• Price to compose
• Price to render (hardware and software)

Professional photograpers rent out the equipement they own for each shoot.

[Pixelcon]

3k? That sounds unreasonable if you don't mind me saying so. It's one image, probably for crappy marketing...local (online) news and the like, so I would base pricing on that and their perceived budget.
Of course maybe there are parameters of their request that we're unaware of.
the
Out of interest how do you break that down?

Other than that, it turns out to be a most interesting post that has sparked good discussion. I am curious as to the amount JezUK quoted that they found so unreasonable.

Also, will there be cake for the winner?

If they came to me for that project that would be the quote. It's not up to me what they use the image for or how good or bad their designs might be. Breakdown: They'll get the same workflow that any other client would get, the same attention to detail, and the same amount of hours as anyone else would get.
Having said all that, yes, it's highly likely it's out of their budget and they wouldn't hire me.

[glorybound]

I do these all day long. Tiny houses like those would cost $600 per house, and you have three of them. He'll get a view of each, and I would probably charge him a little more for the birds-eye.

I follow a guy on IG who always posts these poorly done renderings with the Fiverr watermark on them (I guess he does pay for the work he hires for). He reached out to me and asked me to quote a house, which I did, and he said I was ridiculous. I mentioned that he hires people from Fiverr, and I can't compete with them on price, but I will produce something far better for him.

I ended up signing the IG watermark guy project. His client wanted something of higher quality than his Fiverr work. He is an Architect who sends things to Fiverr and charges his clients a premium. His client came directly to me. What he charges for his Fiverr work is almost the same thing I am charging.

[JezUK]

Thanks guys for all the input - one thing's for sure, the prices do seem all over the place

Forgive me if I forget anybody out, fixeighted 's pricing seems to be where I believe the accepted quote would be floating around - it's a complete guess, but it seems fixeighted has a good grasp of what these types of client are after - they're not looking for top notch work, they see you as a commodity and it's about their bottom line.

I still can't get over @Sean's ability to knock this out in a day, that's simply crazy (ie amazing - if it's possible)...

Pixelcon's price, of €3k I totally get his position re his standards, quality, treating this customer like any other - I respect that.

glorybound , Bobby's price doesn't surprise me, it's what I would imagine and seems very reasonable considering the quality and experience you're getting, seeing as this is Bobby's bread and butter.....


So...... what was my price?

£1750.

I did make the assumption that there are areas which are not on the drawing that I know would need to be created and maybe that was my mistake in including them (eg, no patios, paths, foliage, planting, downpipes, no ridge tiles, hip tiles etc etc.... really?). If I'd have quoted without any of those it would have gotten things down to circa £1500-1600 which I believe would still be nowhere near the eventual 'winner''.

I still wouldn't have gotten it.

I do tend to think that there's more that'd be needed than what is on those plans and maybe a call with the client first would have been a good idea. However, I still think he'd end up going for someone around the £900 mark and I'm simply out of that (maybe there are those out there using SketchUp or Twinmotion that can knock these out very, very quickly).

Once again guys, thanks for your input - shame I'm not really in 3D anymore, I love the community, but pricing has always been my downfall and too many experiences like this one wore me out eventually.....