If you were offered a paid modeling job, what compensation would you ask for?

[Expat Tomcat]

Would you ask for an hourly rate? At what rate? Salary? Current median income for my market (Indianapolis, IN) for the job is $55,500 or $26.70/hr.

TIA 

Expat 

Edited September 10, 2021 by Expat Tomcat

[Dandiego]

In my experience non-modelers have no idea what goes into producing a quality model. So when you quote a price the answer is often, " I had no idea it would be that much".

 

Once again, in my experience, building models for others takes the fun out of it, and I model for fun.

 

Let your client know how much the kit and supplies will cost and how many hours you will invest. Quote a price you can live with and see what they say.

 

Build for others if you want to, not because there is a payday involved.

 

Just my opinion,  Dan

[Treehugger]

I know some people are painting figures, which is one kind of commissioned work, which doesn't seem to take the most time.

As for scale models, I just don't envision anybody affording cheap models being made, except for a business or a museum or other people with a big yearly budget.

 

Perhaps more interesting, is the real work projects, like maybe scratch building of more unique models.

 

Another option is pro bono stuff where you do stuff for free, but obviously there is no money in that.

 

I am not sure how to best answer OP's question.

 

Typically, for sustainable work, you would want payment for:

Rent, food, equipment/investments and other expenses, ofc taking into account time spent on project.

 

In any case I would try make sure both parties come out being happy, so agreeing on the quality of work, and not screwing each other over.

 

I've never really figured out just how much work I can do in one day, but I know it is a lot, I just like doing other things. I guess one could take on several projects at the same time (assuming it makes good sense).

 

Sry, I am not too familiar with this topic, but it sounds interesting.

Edited September 10, 2021 by Treehugger

[jeroen_R90S]

As in a real full-time job, for a company?

Most self-employed people doing a project I know make a fixed price quote, but I'm not sure how practical that is in your case. The others are semi-permanently employed and go by hourly rates, but are mostly good IT guys for up to 120euro/hour...

Hourly rates are usually defined by seniority/skills?

 

------------

I built a 1/24 VW Transporter pickup for a friend, did take me a loooong while as I was also learning more about doing car models. I had to put in a lot of hours, also re-working a botched paint job...

I traded my skills building the VW for his skills in helping repairing my rusted-out 1:1 windscreen frame on my camper van.

 

Honestly, even if I'd asked 0,50euro per hour it would have been a very expensive model... Conversely, if he'd asked an hourly rate the windscreen repair would have been very expensive as well!

I only build that model because I wnnted to do a proper car model, and because he's a friend. The windscreen repair came later...

 

Jeroen

 

[Radub]

Yeah, just like the others said, it depends on what you need to do. If you are expected to assemble a kit and maybe even add some ready-made aftermarket parts, you won't get a lot. I know people who build models and put them on eBay and get relatively little for it. In fact, checking the price of sold items on eBay is a good place to get an idea of what built models are going for. You must also keep in mind that there are also people in the Far East and Eastern Europe who churn models and sell them cheap. If you can build a kit off the shelf, so can they. They dictate the prices. 

 

If you are expected to make a model from scratch whereby you research, plan, design and produce unique parts, let's say for a museum, architectural company, vehicle manufacturer or a film company, then that is a job like any other, such as plumber or carpenter, and you can charge an hourly professional rate. There are very few people who can do that, so prices are a bit higher.  Make an honest estimate of the number of hours you plan to put into it, multiply it by your hourly rate, factor in the cost of materials and tools and then pitch it to your customer who may wish to haggle. 

Radu

[Gary Needham]

There are not many people outside our niche hobby who have any idea of the work involved with even, say,  a modest 1/48 aircraft kit or a 1/35 AFV.  I have lost count of the number of approaches I have had to build models both by workmates and during shows when discussing my display pieces only to hear "How much!" when told not only the price of the kit itself (most people still think of them in plastic bags at 'Woolworths'!), but also, what I think would be fair remuneration and that's not even asking minimum pay hourly rates. There are a few bespoke collectors who pay top money, but they tend to want 'one of a kinds' and competition winning entries to provide them with a really unique subject.

 

In the wider hobby, the real money is in painting figures from the top quality figure manufacturers as there are some (very) wealthy model soldier collectors out there and those top painters who take 'Gold' in national competitions are often in great demand with effectively 'retained' clients. I have seen these sales conducted with my own eyes (and ears) when I used to work a trade stand at the top shows throughout UK and Europe. The 'horse trading' with the top painters and buyers starts after the competition results and 'Best of Show' are announced as some of those pieces are sublime. I won't give names, but I know of a couple of famous figure painters where you would get no change from $1000 for a 54mm foot piece they commission painted or had won 'Gold' or B.O.S with at a big event. Painting also with acrylics, those who do so rather than using oils can complete them in relatively quick time to ensure a very good return on a $/hours rate. 

 

These people mind are artists rather than 'hobby painters' and quite rightly, their talents are in demand and come at a (deserved) price.

 

Good luck but don't undersell yourself whatever your own model making standard is.

 

Gary

[Panzerwomble]

Depends whether or not I had to take my kit off  ?

[Ryan]

$150 an hour.

[airscale]

In 2018 after my 1/18 spitfire won at Telford, I was approached by an aircraft restoration company acting on behalf of one of their clients (a Hollywood producer i was told) who was having a full size spitfire restored. It was for a commission quote to build 'his' spitfire to the same standard.

 

I told them £25,000...

 

They didn't bite, if they had, they would have got a bargain in terms of invested professional time

 

Do not undervalue what you do provided the outcome is equivalent to a professional artisan or artist

[Ryan]

Well said.

[JayW]

I have had a couple of requests over the past 5 years or so.  Also I have been asked to sell what I made.  And, I have been asked to donate to a museum.   I dunno - I am pretty attached to the models I have made (the good ones, with time measured in the thousands of hours).  I think I could accept a commission to build something more or less OOB, but I'd want something upwards of $30/hour.  And I think that would price it out of most markets.  A Tamiya Mustang with say 100 hours in it, at that rate, would be $3000, plus the model itself and paint.      

Edited September 11, 2021 by JayW

[Smokeyforgothispassword]

Many years ago I was asked to build a Tamiya 1/12 Caterham  for a friend by his Wife. At the time the kit was $400, so we agreed that She’d buy 2 kits, 1 for me, and 1 for him. I’d  build it, buy the paint and paint it and ad the little extra’s (not that any where needed) and my payment was getting the best kit ever made for my own!
 

I would have been more than happy just building the kit, but I was offered more than treble the cost of the kit to build it, luckily for me I managed to bargain her down to a free kit and the odd ham and cheese sandwich :).

 

It took me a few months to build the kit, a few hours a few nights per week, and honestly, I should have paid her for the opportunity!

 

Now, if a stranger wanted me to work for 3 hours 3 nights per week for 12 weeks, then I would quote them $1500 plus the kit ( I’d absorb the cost of consumables, I’m nice like that).

Edited September 11, 2021 by Smokeyforgothispassword

[Stevepd]

When I was in the R.A.F I used to make models for people that were leaving the service, predominately retiring and I really undercharged myself. Later on in life I was asked again to make models for people retiring but I never really enjoyed it at all and it actually became a chore, so now I respectfully say no.

[LSP_K2]

I have a buddy that's a certified aircraft mechanic (more or less retired). He states a price at his going rate for aircraft certifications, engine changes, annual inspections and whatnot, which is not cheap, and it's always a "take it or leave it" proposition. They usually take it. Your painstaking hours are usually worth something to you, and if the buyer balks, just don't do it.

[Woody V]

If you're looking for a dollar number, I did custom dry transfers for one of the top builders in the U.S. for a 1/32 fighter commission and the he got $5K for it. Adjusted for inflation, that $10.4K today which sounds about right for that much work.

 

But if you look at it, you'd have to knock out 5-6 builds a year to live off your "hobby".