Electrical Design Costs ?

G'Day all,

Quick query,

Any ideas on methodology for costing some electrical design ? per hour, per day, per sheet, costs for media, paper copies etc ??

Long story short, Someone got in contact with me privately and has a requirement for some schematics and panel layout drawings to be drafted using AutoCAD Lt. The Panels/Control centres I believe contain Motor controllers, drive amps etcetc safety circuits maybe some PLC, the panels would be already built but this guy has to provide schematics with them hence me. I am led to believe that this would entail me driving to this site, maybe some photos, notes , bell test some circuitry etc, probably some hand written schematics and I go away draft some layouts, and the rest as they say is history,

That "Seems" to be the case anyway, and this quy is looking for an idea of costs from me tomorrow, typically I would have a rough idea per the project, but isolated at design, I'm not sure what to charge.

Any ideas ?

ps I do realise there isn't much information to go on, just trying to tune into it............

Cheers

Mylo

Day Rate £500

But like you said not a lot to go on!

When you see the job it may be a nightmare!!!

Here in the states, I've seen the range from $20-$100 per hour.

Local engineering companies are sewndin a lot to China, for $3-4 per hour, yes, three or four. No middle man mark up I guess.

regards.....casey

Sewndin??? sending.

I was talking to a recruiter from Peoria last year, who has been sending drafting work to and from China, it is a little inconvenient, but they do corrections for FREE. He needs a couple of clerks, but saves a fortune.

The first time I saw their drafting room (1973) it had over a hundred guys, all in white shirts and very narrow black ties, all doing Caterpillar drawings. Then they moved into a closed down grocery store, for more room, and more people.

He wouldn't tell me how much Cat pays per hour.....

$4 x 5 = $20, x 2.5 = $50, x 1.10 = $55.

I did some plain old drafting in 98 or 99, got $18 in the middle of nowhere, and figure they billed the client around $36. When I was there in 88, I got $14, customer paid $21.

Lately, $14 is good pay around here.

regards.....casey