Charging for Changes

[Matt Sugden]

I have a very good client, who I do a lot of work for producing mostly elevations at the moment. They are a top end developer, and what is happening is that their customers are seeing my visuals then requesting changes to the building design, which inevitably I end up visualizing.

 

While I have no quarrel with this whatsoever, I am finding it reasonably hard to keep track of the changes, as they can range from being a texture here, to major changes to the window shapes etc. i.e. multiple revisions to a single model.

 

At the moment I offer a fixed price for a finished image based on the initial spec and state that I will charge extra for changes, however my biggest concern is deciding when a change really warrants a charge to my client, as often the time required to invoice them is as much effort as it is to make the adjustment to the image in the first place.

 

I just wondered if anyone on here has similar circumstances, with multiple revisions, with varying degrees of impact, and how you tend to tackle it with your clients?

 

Ideally I should be charging them for any work I do, revisions or otherwise, but I am lacking a system to keep tabs on this, and likewise make these costs and extra work transparent to my client.

[chiquito]

I have been in the same situation as you. Mine was a never ending changes issue. Check my posts, they gave some nice hints, it was named somethin like "the never ending job".

I can think on two ways to deal with it, or better,. two ways to improve this issue, the first one is to absorb up to a percentage, when that percentage x is passed you start charging extras, not for the little changes, but for the little changes + the percentage. This percentage is up to you.

Another thing, you mentioned windows changes, etc. If you model buildings and stuff like it, with catalog or similar windows, doors, etc, give autocad modeling a chance, you will be working with blocks, so all adjustments you are asked to do in max will be just a double click away in cad, you need to keep the file linked to max. all changes, texturing and lighting, etc, will be in max. I found it helpful to work that way. Kinda of a shot cut of corrections.

Hope it helps.

If helpful, check the visualization insider, on cgarchitect home page, they have an article on contracts for services, dealing with payments and changes, may help.

Good luck.

M

[lambros]

In my experience, changes are always anticipated. In 7 years I have had only 1 or 2 jobs that did not require a single change . So my practise is to include the anticipated changes cost in the bid, and a note in the contract that states that if severe changes occure due to client's will, they will be charged at a 10%-15% rate of the modelling and rendering cost.

That way, one can be easily covered for:

A: cost of changes

B: the extent of changes - the client will think twice before asking

[ronll]

That's a very familiar problem and I usually treat it as a judgement call. I try to bid my projects to allow for a small amount of design change that I simply call, "customer service". The larger changes I charge hourly for, but as you mention you have to predict and inform the client in advance that this will be extra. Sometimes the extra overhead (invoicing etc.) and client relationship strain might outweigh the time/money involved. I certainly make the judgement call wrong sometimes, but you get better with experience. Hopefully it evens out eventually.

 

Another issue of course is consistancy. If you do a lot of work for the same client there is the danger of the client saying, "You didn't charge us for that last time, why this time?"

[BillyElNino]

To minimise the changes to the final renders it can be a good idea to get the composition of the image and the accuracy of the models approved through a series of WIPS sent off to the architect / client. This means any mistakes made by you and any changes required by the client after seeing the design in 3D can be incorporated into the final product. As mentioned already this consultation process can be priced into the original fees.