About to start a bathroom remodel for a friend. This is my first side work and have two years post grad experience at a firm. The budget is $15k. Its going to be relatively simple, no structural work involved and I should be able to get a permit over the counter. I think would rather charge a set fee since it is for a friend, just wondering what your thoughts were on what i should charge? Thanks!
I would not charge a set fee under any circumstances. Especially when the client is a friend he will often feel that he can keep tweaking the design ad nauseum or that once it is done he can keep calling you back to look at endless tiny problems...
Charge an hourly rate. Write up a one-page contract in a letter format, in which you state that you bill hourly and that in your experience the total is likely to be within the range of x% to y% of total construction costs. But make it clear that this is an estimate and that the actual billings will be based on straight hours put into the job. This will help you tremendously should you find that your client expects you to come out and direct the placement of every tile, for example...
Now, this range is up to you and the type of project and there are people out there who will charge anywhere from a (very) low of 4% to a high of over 20%... If it were me and I were taking on a small, picky interior job involving a lot of finishes I'd probably make my low about 8% and the high somewhere in the 12% - 15% range - but that's just me and I'm sure someone here will come along and tell you not to do it for any less than 20%...
is this an official job, or just a favor for a friend? if its 'official', treat it as a real job. i'd charge a 5-8% fee, which i guess that is the norm, with additional charges for any further design changes. all in writing of course. if its just some favor for a friend, you can charge whatever you want, or even haggle over a price with them.
I would say it depends on how good of a friend, what their expectations are (are they a very anal picky person who wants a super modern design, or are they laid back and just want something nicer than they have now? Do they want you to pick out every fixture, draw the tile layout, locate the bath accessories, etc. or just come up with with a general feel and a plan - enough to get the permit, and they'll pick the tile & fixtures themselves?), who the contractor will be (because if they have a horrible contractor you might end up telling the subs what to do, and getting blamed for the contractor not doing his job), etc. Since it's your first side job, I'd say $1,000-1,500 would be fair for a flat fee, just keep in mind the potential headache... working for friends can be traumatic, speaking from experience...
word vado.
my next door neighbor just asked me to help them out with a remodel to the front of their house, add a courtyard, etc. I can't charge them - but he is a rep for a local lighting company and I will need some nifty under-cabinet lighting in my house soon.....
why dont you just focus on designing a kick ass bathroom. are you handy manning it or calling others in?
with that sort of budget i cant see why a happy friend/client wouldnt compensate you accordingly.
where is this? can i help?
if is a really close friend charge only for material printing permit and that kind of things
if not, charge around 5% to 10%, depending if he ask you renders and so on
Enjoy , and remeber that job maybe a good advertisement for your friend's friend projects.....
Please let me know what can you do with 15000 for a bathroom and where, we just got a similar project in the office i work and i think our estimator priced to high, send me an email....
Jul 18, 05 1:45 am ·
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Bathroom Remodel (side work)- what to charge?
About to start a bathroom remodel for a friend. This is my first side work and have two years post grad experience at a firm. The budget is $15k. Its going to be relatively simple, no structural work involved and I should be able to get a permit over the counter. I think would rather charge a set fee since it is for a friend, just wondering what your thoughts were on what i should charge? Thanks!
I would not charge a set fee under any circumstances. Especially when the client is a friend he will often feel that he can keep tweaking the design ad nauseum or that once it is done he can keep calling you back to look at endless tiny problems...
Charge an hourly rate. Write up a one-page contract in a letter format, in which you state that you bill hourly and that in your experience the total is likely to be within the range of x% to y% of total construction costs. But make it clear that this is an estimate and that the actual billings will be based on straight hours put into the job. This will help you tremendously should you find that your client expects you to come out and direct the placement of every tile, for example...
Now, this range is up to you and the type of project and there are people out there who will charge anywhere from a (very) low of 4% to a high of over 20%... If it were me and I were taking on a small, picky interior job involving a lot of finishes I'd probably make my low about 8% and the high somewhere in the 12% - 15% range - but that's just me and I'm sure someone here will come along and tell you not to do it for any less than 20%...
is this an official job, or just a favor for a friend? if its 'official', treat it as a real job. i'd charge a 5-8% fee, which i guess that is the norm, with additional charges for any further design changes. all in writing of course. if its just some favor for a friend, you can charge whatever you want, or even haggle over a price with them.
I would say it depends on how good of a friend, what their expectations are (are they a very anal picky person who wants a super modern design, or are they laid back and just want something nicer than they have now? Do they want you to pick out every fixture, draw the tile layout, locate the bath accessories, etc. or just come up with with a general feel and a plan - enough to get the permit, and they'll pick the tile & fixtures themselves?), who the contractor will be (because if they have a horrible contractor you might end up telling the subs what to do, and getting blamed for the contractor not doing his job), etc. Since it's your first side job, I'd say $1,000-1,500 would be fair for a flat fee, just keep in mind the potential headache... working for friends can be traumatic, speaking from experience...
And you'll quickly learn why no one wants to work on jobs this small - it's just not worth it in the end.
15k for a bathroom, DANG ! here i can make a house with that money
i would never charge a friend. but thats just my midwestern values talking.
word vado.
my next door neighbor just asked me to help them out with a remodel to the front of their house, add a courtyard, etc. I can't charge them - but he is a rep for a local lighting company and I will need some nifty under-cabinet lighting in my house soon.....
why dont you just focus on designing a kick ass bathroom. are you handy manning it or calling others in?
with that sort of budget i cant see why a happy friend/client wouldnt compensate you accordingly.
where is this? can i help?
how close friend is he / she?
if is a really close friend charge only for material printing permit and that kind of things
if not, charge around 5% to 10%, depending if he ask you renders and so on
Enjoy , and remeber that job maybe a good advertisement for your friend's friend projects.....
Please let me know what can you do with 15000 for a bathroom and where, we just got a similar project in the office i work and i think our estimator priced to high, send me an email....
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