A customer asked me how much it cost to make a big mosaic
I answered him: $ 800
He said: So expensive for this job?
I asked: How much do you think it would cost you?
He answers me: $ 300 maximum... That's a pretty simple job right? !"
- For $ 300 I invite you to do it yourself.
- But.... I don't know how to.
- For $300 I'll teach you how to. So besides saving you $500 , you'll get the knowledge for the next time you want
- It seemed right to him and he agreed.
- But to get started: you need tools and TIME and the design, Broken dinner plates, tile, a broad, adhesive, grout, tile nippers, a mixing bowl , towels, sponges, plastic table cover etc...
- But I don't have all these equipment and I can't buy all of these for one job.
- Well then for another $225 more I'll rent my stuff to you so you can do it.
- Okay, he says.
- Okay! Tuesday I'm waiting for you to start doing this work
- But I can't on Tuesday I only have time today.
- I'm sorry, but I'm only available Tuesday to teach you and lend you my stuff. Other days are busy with other customers.
- Okay! That means I'm going to have to sacrifice my Tuesday, give up my tasks.
- I forgot. To do your job yourself, you also have to pay for the nonproductive factors.
- That is? What is this?"
- Bureaucratic, tax, vat, security, insurance, fuel etc.
- Oh no!... But to accomplish these tasks, I'm going to spend more money and waste a lot of time!
- Do you have them? You can do it to me before?"
- Okay!
- I'll make you all the material you need. Truck loading is done Monday evening or Tuesday morning you'll have to come by 6 loading the truck. Don't forget to be on time to avoid traffic jams and be on time
- At 6??? Nope! Too early for me! I used to getting up later.
...
- You know, I've been thinking. Y ' all better get the job done. I'd rather pay you the $800.
If I had to, it wouldn't be perfect and it would cost me a lot more.
When you pay for a job, especially handcrafted, you pay not only for the material used, but also:
- Knowledge
- Experience
- Study
- Tools
- Services
- Time to go
- punctuality
- Accountability
- Professionalism
- Accuracy
- Guaranteed
- Patents
- Sacrifices
- Safety and security
- Payment of tax obligations
No one can denigrate other people's work by judging prices.
Only by knowing all the elements necessary for the production of a certain work can you estimate the actual cost.
Don't forget to account for your materials: tile, adhesive, grout, sponges/rags, wear and tear on your nippers, grinder, mixer etc. All the stuff that you bought to be able to create should be considered/prorated. You can either charge by the hour or square foot, but be sure to consider the intricacy of the design as more/smaller tessera will take longer to design and assemble that larger ones. If you are cutting up dishes, you may spend significant time cutting, nipping and grinding to get the perfect piece, which takes longer
than just laying out standard, ready-made tiles and trimming a few.
