Deadlines and Time

[pirallah]

Ive noticed that more and more clients are now getting bolder (arrogant, actually) in demanding shorter and shorter time for design, and I am getting really pissed because I have to explain to them (again and again) how design actually works and that it takes time to do well-designed plans.

 

Im wondering how long it takes for other designers to do everything from conceptualization through finished renders for say, a 200 sqm office.

 

I usually take a minimum of 1 week and maximum of 3 weeks(for highly detailed work). This involves CAD-drawings of plans, reflected ceiling plan, elevations and rendered 3d perspectives (3-8 views), plus any details of custom furnishings. No overtime please, 8 hours a day.

 

This morning a client approached us demanding 1 week for everything!!! WTF?? What do you guys think? Is this reasonable? Should I accept the challenge or do I tell him ?

[antonio_frias]

You know Fermano, it's not only the clients but also the bosses. They think that because we now work with CAD that all you have to do is snap your fingers and the drawings and renderings are finished

[TraP]

my personal record to make renders from moment when i get blueprints till i finish rendering, it was about 8 h. no lunch and only 3 times to go smoke...

but i did it.

 

highly detailed work takes about 3-4 days for renders.

 

and don't do CAD-drawings, it's only 3D.

 

I think, that 3 weeks is normal, for high quality work. (IMHO)

[andreg]

I sometimes have the same problem... I feel your pain. I mostly do showrooms for a specific company which sell bathroom items (toilets, sinks, etc.) I usually pump out about 8 to 10 renders in about 16 hours but most of my models are already done. All I have to do is the room from their cad drawings and xref the rest. Lighting and rendering take about 50% of the time. Also I am fortunate enough to have A BOXX workstation and render node to help me out.

[pirallah]

Just a follow-up, I turned down the project. I think it wasn't worth it to risk design quality for speed. Im a one-man firm from design to presentation to making coffee, so one week is just going to be a mess for me. Anyway, thanks for your replies guys.

 

Andreg, It just so happens that Im currently working on an exhibition for kitchen fixtures..funny coincidence.

[rachelC]

I agree, recently clients and bosses all together are expecting us to turn models around much quicker and the clients seem to expect it to be done quickly and cheaply as well. I think this is because they do not understand, or haven’t been 'educated' to understand the modeling process we all go through. also, they is more and more 3d companies being born offering very fast and cheap services... but no passion...

it takes me 3 to 4 weeks for each projects...sometimes more depending on the complexity of the building.

[Justin Hunt]

It got to the stage in my last job, time to produce images was becoming leass and less. It then became expected by the designers that we could knock suff out so they started to give us the info later and later with less design work being resolved. The designing was being left up to us.

 

Our boss eventually told us to "fail" a couple of jobs, to miss deadlines, just to bring the designers back to reality. It worked and they started to do their jobs and leave us to concentrate on producing the 3D.

 

Bare in mind that this was in a architects office and the 3d was design development, so quality was compromised anyway.

 

JHV

[jkletzien]

These projects aren't the worst thing. You can charge rush charges, you can explain to them that they don't get to see as many iterations so they need to make decisions quickly, and when you deliver it is done.

 

Then again you can't do all the projects that way, but once in a while it is OK, and these are the most profitable. In fact I was intrigued with this webdesign company who actually offers a discount for rush projects - I think it is a brilliant strategy.

 

http://www.newfangled.com/contentmgr/showdetails.php/id/3444

 

And sometimes the images are actually better 'cause they show the original inspiration, and haven't been commented to death.

 

That said, if you're in house than I think the whole "if you break the dishes enough than you'll stop getting asked to wash them" philosophy is your only way out. Unless of course you want to come work in our office:)