Fair price for CAD services?
Printed From: CAD Forum
Category: EN
Forum Name: AutoCAD
Forum Description: Discussion about AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT, viewers, DWG and DWF formats, Design Review, AutoCAD 360, add-ons
URL: https://www.cadforum.cz/forum_en/forum_posts.asp?TID=9780
Printed Date: 01.Jun.2026 at 04:16
Topic: Fair price for CAD services?
Posted By: PVdesigner2012
Subject: Fair price for CAD services?
Date Posted: 06.Nov.2013 at 16:12
I'm wondering what some forum members think is a fair price to ask for CAD services. I'm in discussions with a company that would like to hire me for solar designs and electrical one-lines, and have been asked what my prices would be for different sized projects. This would be my first real CAD job, but I have used it in the past and have a college background with it, but don't know what current rates are. Any response would be great, and if you have any questions, please ask. Thanks.
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Replies:
Posted By: John Connor
Date Posted: 06.Nov.2013 at 18:10
$25/hr. minimum and more if you are doing the actual design not just the drafting end of it. Or you could quote the job as "lump sum" but you damn well better have a handle on what it will take to do it.
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"Humans have a strength that cannot be measured. This is John Connor. If you are reading this, you are the resistance."
<<AutoCAD 2015>>
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Posted By: PVdesigner2012
Date Posted: 06.Nov.2013 at 18:16
Thanks John, that's about what I was thinking. I believe it is just the drafting end of it. Certainly i would want more if I was engineering the entire project.
I hope you kept in mind that I'm going in as an inexperienced/entry level designer so I don't want to ask for a king's ransom, but also don't want to cheapen the profession and lower the bar for others.
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Posted By: John Connor
Date Posted: 07.Nov.2013 at 11:50
You could low ball it and use it as a means to get your foot in the door with this company assuming there could be more work in the future for you.
Well, whatever way you go I suggest you really knock their socks off on this first project so they have no reason not to contact in the future.
You'll find that working for yourself takes a lot of discipline. Some people got what it takes and can eventually make a living out of it while others flounder then eventually fail.
Good luck.
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"Humans have a strength that cannot be measured. This is John Connor. If you are reading this, you are the resistance."
<<AutoCAD 2015>>
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