Putting a price tag on your work is never easy, especially if you’re a rookie and are unsure how much your time and effort cost. Architectural projects can also be difficult to charge because you use your creativity and program skills to deliver high-quality projects to your client.

Moreover, working with clients can be very exhausting. While some clients expect impossible results for low prices, others are ready to pay more money to get the highest possible quality for their needs.

While you’re having trouble estimating how much your work is worth, we’ve decided to help you on your journey and provide advice on how to charge your 3D renders and architectural projects.

Make your conditions clear.

Before you close a deal with your client, you must come clean about your conditions in the first place. People may expect you to adapt to their needs rather than accepting your work ethics and pricing conditions.

Most people try to get their projects for the lowest price and may expect you to deliver good-quality projects fast and not charge them a lot along the way. Also, clients may expect you to have the same conditions as someone they’ve worked with in the past.

Therefore, try to communicate with your client and introduce them to your conditions at the start of the project. Explain to them how your pricing method works and what they can expect in the end for the price they will pay.

Explain how you charge.

Understanding how to charge your clients is never easy. You may offer different services that require more or less time and effort. That’s why it’s necessary to run over your prices and ensure that you satisfy your financial needs and adapt to your customers.

If you, perhaps, demand payment in advance, don’t forget to tell your customer how that process works. Always tell them everything they need to know about how you charge for your work and the methods you use to request payments.

On the other hand, many people might try to bargain with you over your prices. Share your explanation on why you charge for your work the way you do rather than going with their needs in the first place.

Fixed-price packages

One of the ways to guarantee your clients don’t take advantage of your charging methods is to maintain fixed-price packages for all clients. That way, you and your clients can know what to expect from your potential project.

The way fixed-price packages work is that you maintain the price of your projects as long as you stay within the agreed terms and tasks. That way, your client will know how much they pay for your work, and you will work harder on delivering the project the right way on time.

However, fixed-price packages are not something you should use with every client. For instance, some clients want to pay you as you update them on your work, and you can charge them for any additional corrections.

Charging per views

The method of charging your project per view can come in handy when you’re unsure what price to set for a particular project. As architecture relies on the concept of delivering a visual presentation of what something will look like in the future, charge-per-view is an excellent method.

That’s why you should bring your A-game and provide your client with the best possible angles of your renders. The more realistic they look, the more you can charge them, so ensure you use high-quality programs and deliver the best possible renders to your clients.

The quality of your renders can determine how much you can charge them. If you maintain detailed renders and develop your ideas in an awe-inspiring way, you can set higher prices for your work.

Charging by the hour

Charging a client by the hour you work on your project is one of the most used pricing methods for rendering projects. As rendering takes up a lot of time and effort, many clients will agree to pay for your time spent on finishing a project.

It’s pretty simple – you will need time to think of an idea, visualize it, make a 3D model, and render it with all the textures and traits. Therefore, try to stay objective about how much your work time costs while adjusting to your client’s financial situation.

However, not everyone is a fan of this method. Use it with clients who understand this concept and avoid using it with those who want to, for example, pay per views and renders.

Adjust to your client.

Although maintaining a reasonable pricing method to stay true to the time and effort needed for a project, it’s necessary to try and find the best pricing solution to satisfy your and your clients’ needs.

Therefore, communicate with your client regarding their budget and what they expect of you for the project. Sometimes charging a client less can open a new door to future collaboration, helping you make higher profits.

That’s why you should always try to stay on the same page with your clients and satisfy their needs while maintaining a reasonable paycheck for yourself and the time and effort you put into your projects.

Conclusion

The architecture industry has come across many innovations in the past years, and delivering a good-quality render is a must if you want to maintain a good relationship with your current and potential customers.

Furthermore, working with people can make you understand that everyone has different needs and expectations. That’s why it’s challenging to find the perfect balance between accepting your client’s offer and respecting the effort you put into your projects.

Remember to go easy on yourself. If some projects fail at some point, you can always learn a lesson in finding different ways to communicate with your clients regarding how you charge and find the best way to reward yourself for all the hard work you do every day!