BIM Contract Rate

[Anonymous]

I'm getting a lot of leads on BIM work, working from home in the cloud. I've mostly worked at offices, so does anyone know a typical going rate of pay for contract Revit Architecture, Structure, or MEP model work?

[L.Maas · Accepted solution]

I think you approach it from the 'wrong' direction. You have to calculate your costs. 

Example. Lets say this will be your only full-time job. You know, or can calculate, what you need for living each year (including savings for pension etc). To do your job you need maybe an office, a car and equipment. Further you might need company insurances etc. On top of that you need time for other things (sales, administration etc).

52 weeks in a year (minus some holidays) 30 hours per week (remaining hours for admin, sales etc) so 50x30=1500 hours you can work on BIM work drawing for your clients. Total costs per year / 1500 is your minimum hourly rate needed.

If your clients do not want to pay your hourly rate you do not have a viable business and better look for something else.

[loboarch · Accepted solution]

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@EnlInt wrote:

I think you approach it from the 'wrong' direction. You have to calculate your costs. 

Example. Lets say this will be your only full-time job. You know, or can calculate, what you need for living each year (including savings for pension etc). To do your job you need maybe an office, a car and equipment. Further you might need company insurances etc. On top of that you need time for other things (sales, administration etc).

52 weeks in a year (minus some holidays) 30 hours per week (remaining hours for admin, sales etc) so 50x30=1500 hours you can work on BIM work drawing for your clients. Total costs per year / 1500 is your minimum hourly rate needed.

If your clients do not want to pay your hourly rate you do not have a viable business and better look for something else.

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On the other hand, if it is "side work" you can charge whatever makes you happy. How much do you value your time doing other things, and how much "side work" do you have?

For example I do some work designing models/patterns that are laser cut from MDF for a company. I sell the design/pattern to them and they fabricate the model kits for retail sale. Building the models is kind of a hobby of mine anyhow, so I don't charge a whole lot for that "side work" because I like it. It is fun to see a model you designed out for retail sale. Other kinds of jobs I might charge more because it is more of a "job" to me.

[L.Maas]

Yes, you are right. From the post I assumed it was going about a 'full' time job.

For me no side jobs. Only several volunteering functions....all free of charge. 

[Anonymous]

@L.Maas, and @loboarch this is great feedback! It would be my full time job. I already have all computer equipment set up, and an extra room for an office. Just need Revit subscription money. Not much overhead on the cloud! I love it so far!!! I just finished a pretty large home builders project that made good money.

Yes!! Revit is not like work to me at all. I do see people scrambling in the Dallas/ Fort Worth area here to get their product into Revit NOW. High demand. I hear you can charge up to $75/hr. More thoughts?

[Anonymous]

Dang it! I am helping another company right now who pays for my software, so when I reply sometimes it's signed into that account, but I want all my activity on this account, my personal account. HAHA! Someone on the forum the other week spanked my hand, saying I was trying to duel account for some kind of gain or something, 😕

[RDAOU · Accepted solution]

@Anonymous

Hearing that you can do 75$/hr (is that before of after taxes btw?) is not sufficient basis build on...any business which one plans on starting, starts with a market study...

1. who are your clients,
2. classify them into categories (lots of clients do not work with individuals for instance; those are ruled out...just an example),
3. who are they currently working with
4. what would be their expected budget
5. what level of BIM are they expecting (keeping in mind your capabilities and knowledge - 30 hours a week with a one man show gets you no where if they are expecting BIM5 or 6) it is not drafting 
6. expectancy of keeping a client after one job...freelance in general and BIM Revit are a risky business clients tend to train some of their in-house team on the first or second outsourced project then goodbye freelancer

 a lot of other factors and criteria to consider before you even start on knowing your competitors

1. many local ones around Dallas and FW?
2. what is their set up (you might not be able to keep up for long if your plan to be a solo freelancer)
3. What do they charge
4. what services do they provide (planing on 30 hours a week it work on a team basis but a solo FL, with all due respect but it's the clients' deman which dictates that ... If you are planning on keeping a client. If you ask any freelancer on working hours his answer will be..."a long pause"
5. not sure if your plan is long term solo or short term then build a team of 2-3 ... But you might also consider scouting for potential JV with some competitors who are already established...get into the market...know their clients...build good relations ... Then split

Then comes your costs...on top of what @L.Maas mentioned briefly, there are the PR and Marketing costs...it is not just an office, some computers, cloud and product subscription and off you go!...No Connections No money (otherwise it's gonna be - give us our daily bread)! And those need time on top...and while working with one client you need to find and secure the second...time again

well ... Not discouraging you but you need to start putting the basic things on paper and do some serious planning a proper business case based on market facts not only assumptions. I know lots of freelancers who are barely breaking even

[Anonymous]

This is great! Thanks for all the feedback!!!!!!!!!!!!