I have recently been asked to do a mosaic wall – 10 ft. by 20 ft. – in stained glass and ceramic tile mosaic. I really do not know how I should price this? Should I price by the square foot? What are you mosaic artists charging for something like this?
Do you have a design to draw for the client? If so, you should have an idea of the detail needed to complete the picture. Most mosaic artists charge by the square foot. Having a wall with stained glass in it can create a dangerous situation for those, especially kids, who touch everything.
another consideration before pricing the project is to evaluate the surface of the wall to determine if it can handle a mosaic and whether you would need to assemble a substrate to attach to the wall.
Yes, I have a diagram of what I plan to do with the wall, and I do know what the structure is like. My main consideration at this point is how much I should charge per square foot. I realize that the difficulty of the piece I am doing plays an integral part in the amount charged, but I would like to have a ballpark figure to start with.
I do not understand how a wall with stained glass can create a dangerous situation – this is a mosaic where the glass pieces will be set in grout.
My main consideration at this point is how much I should charge per square foot.
Char
Men may have all been created equal, but square feet of work are not. A square foot of mosaic may contain one 1 sq.ft. piece of glass or ceramic tile, or it may contain dozens of pieces. The more pieces, the more labour time involved. Without a clear knowledge of what's planned nobody can give you a ball-park figure, unless you'd settle for a range of say somewhere between $1.00 and $50.00. That sort of ball-park is too general to be of any use.
……………. there is nothing – absolutely nothing – half so much worthwhile doing as simply messing about in boats.
some charge $x per piece, no matter what size piece it is.
i generally charge a set base fee per square foot, then add some percentage for complexity, then add some other percentage for glass cost as an upcharge if the client picks a more expensive glass (spectrum prices as opposed to dichroic prices for opposite ends of a spectrum (so to speak)).
sometimes i decrease by some percentage depending upon how much i really want the job, or whether it's for friends or relatives.
some charge $x per piece, no matter what size piece it is.
People who do that are generally not experienced.
i generally charge a set base fee per square foot, then add some percentage for complexity, then add some other percentage for glass cost as an upcharge if the client picks a more expensive glass (spectrum prices as opposed to dichroic prices for opposite ends of a spectrum (so to speak)).
This is the better way to start but what also must be factored in is just how much experience does one have & also what kind of reputation does the craftsman have, This can either add or detract from the price.
sometimes i decrease by some percentage depending upon how much i really want the job, or whether it's for friends or relatives.
I'm too much the professional to give large discounts to friends or family, good friends get a 10% discount & family gets a 20% discount. As for discounting a job just to do it, I say forget that noise! If you want my work then you pay my fees, once you get a reputation for discounting or lowering your fees it's almost impossible to lose it.
It's okay to have lower fees when you first start out & as you gain experience & reputation to raise them but never – never lower them just to do a job that you might like the idea of doing if you intend to do this as a profession.
People who ask the original question are generally not experienced. Good workmanship and all that aside, the problem in the nexperienced pricing is that they are inexperienced.
How does it help someone to be told that someone else charges so much per foot plus some odd percentages. If they had a figure in mind, of what that charge per foot should be that might help, and if they knew where to add on percentages and what the percentages might be that'd even be better.
If someone doesn't know what their costs are, any formula is a crap shoot. Knowing what one's costs are for different types of projects can be a guide to pricing future projects. Unless you're planning to donate all or some of your time – you'd better have a pretty good idea how much of it you're going to have to put into the job. Any wild assed guess, could have you working for hundreds of hours for less than minimum wage, Maybe, if one has some concept of how many hours the job will take and you have a price which you put on your time, a major part of the estimate can be made, but that requires some experience.
The price you put on your time must be what your time is worth as an artisan. You might be worth $300.00 as a lawyer, but worth less than minimum wage as an artisan. Again, some experience would be very helpful.
And, one should be able, if they have some experience, to make a pretty good estimate of the materials required. If not, you might end up donating dollars spent on materials too.
Whether your "profit" is shown as part of your time, or whether it's an add on percentage, is up to you.
Unless the time and materials estimates are possible to make with some certainty, the only safe way to quote this project is on a "materials and time basis". Maybe on future jobs, this will have turned out to be a good learning experience. On future jobs, if you keep some proper records, you might be able to quote with some experience under your belt.
Being unsuccessful bidding for a job is not necessarily a black mark on your record, Being successful with a price that loses the shirt off your back is a black mark (or maybe red, to match the book entry would be a more appropriate colour.)
……………. there is nothing – absolutely nothing – half so much worthwhile doing as simply messing about in boats.
if the grout doesn't cover all the edges, it may leave sharps areas. you have to be careful not to remove too much grout.
Get a carborundum stone, or scythe stone and run it around the edges of your glass to "knock the sharp off." Or if it is small pieces of glass, put them in a rock tumbler. I never use glass with sharp edges in a mosaic. I don't like to get cut!
Thank you everyone for all of your input, it is much appreciated. I guess I will charge what I think my artwork and time is worth – take it or leave it. AND,yes, I will remember to factor in supplies and materials.
I use a small piece of 320 grit (or anything in that area) sandpaper instead of a stone. All it takes is one very light pass on the edge of the glass to make it safe. Do not waste time by over doing the sanding operation via paper or stone. It is one very light pass on the outer edge and that is all that is necessary.
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