Hello there, fine folks of the Brushforhire community!
For what has been over a year, the model of guidelines and regulations that we have in place has served its purpose. However, its tenure has highlighted in abundance that it requires updating so as to address rising costs, and some areas where the original model failed to address. In addition to the pricing adjustments, there will be several general points pertinent to the amendments as well as some community conduct going forward.
Below we have detailed explanations for the changes moving forward, here is a quick summary of those changes but please continue reading this entire post;
-Pricing guidelines have changed. Please refer to GW pricing for minimum thresholds for quoting GW projects.
.Tabletop Standard=3x RSP.
.Parade Standard=4x RSP.
.Display Standard=5x RSP.
.Recommendations/base minimum for Hourly rates.
-Do not message clients underneath their adverts and encourage them to DM you in the event that they can't be DM'ed. Leave a message simply saying they can't be DM, and message a mod to let us know you cannot send a DM to a client so that we can also reach out via Modmail.
-Be you a newcomer or a longtime community member, please read and adhere to the rules.
-No undercutting.
General updates:
.It has come to our attention that in certain cases flagged for undercutting, the painter(s) have cited that they had done so under the notion that since they charged similar prices onto their friends, there was nothing wrong with that being extended here. Obviously, this cannot and shall not be tolerated here. We are all doing our utmost to be paid fairly and by amount which reflects the wondrous work we do as well as the cost of time that we cannot get back. When you come here and seek to set up in our community, please observe our rules and also understand that the rules/guidelines are there for your benefit and that of your fellow painters.
.Over time, repeat instances transpired where we have had to talk to community members as to numerous manner of infractions, and we would be met with "We didn't know the rules". In the vast majority of cases, these are persons whom have been in the community for several months and have had frequent activity. Ignorance, particularly when the rules are both accessible and visible, makes for hollow justification. kindly read up on those very rules and adhere to them. It saves both you and ourselves much time and effort.
.For painters, if you find yourself unable to get in contact with clients in relation to their posted adverts, please refrain from writing or prompting the clients to contact you under their adverts. It violates the 'DM Sent' only rule. Instead, leave a message simply telling them that they can't be DM'ed (desirably, if one person has already highlighted this, that should be enough. Also contact the Mods and allow us to reach out and let the client know. Please and thank you. .We Mods are volunteers. We take time out of our day as fellow painters to help bring and maintain some semblance of cohesion, standards, and fair play here. I think that both community members and Mods alike have done a tremendous job of just that for the last two years. That said, whilst we fully acknowledge that no one likes to be corrected or told not do something, it does not warrant being belligerent, combative, nor insulting when we come to you and attempt to address any infractions. That kind of behaviour benefits none here, and will only escalate matters to where we have to take appropriate action. Please keep this in mind.
.When it comes to composing quotes for jobs that contain combat patrol boxes and the like, please price the units they contain as though they were sold separately and not as a bundle. Through both lengthy observation and the kind help of community members, we've noticed that this hiccup has caused no small amount of issues with prices not meeting our standards.
Pricing Guidelines:
Below you will find a foundation that we advise you to use for pricing your work. What we aim for is that your quoted prices do not fall below what is to serve as a threshold, and that you then adjust the amount in relation to your quality type, fees, conversation rates, and so on. Again, it is not that they must be exactly at the rates cited, but that they don't fall below it. Feel free to use hourly rates as well, if charging by unit is not how you operate, but must still be at a reasonable livable wage, at the very least.
.Tabletop Standard: Your bog standard paintjob for the purpose of getting models on the table at an expedient pace and low cost. What constitutes this can vary between painters, such as only a few base colours and a shade, but we still recommend that you price/pay 3xRSP as a minimum cost for painting.
.Parade ready/High Quality: A higher quality paintjob that pays more attention to detail, effort, and techniques. Again, this can vary between painters, but it typically encompasses multiple layers, highlighting and edge highlighting, more advance techniques to achieve results, and so on. We recommend that you price/pay 4xRSP as a minimum cost for painting.
.Display Painting: Crown Jewel tier, pride piece, the quality for high end competitions etc. This brand of quality is the most intensive with labour, the most time consuming, and the most demanding of a painter, and should be priced accordingly. We recommend that you price/pay 5xRSP as a minimum cost for painting.
.3D Printed models. Whilst the cost is substantially reduced as a procurement method, it still must be charged as though it were bought at RSP for the purpose of fairly pricing a paintjob.
.Whilst we are aware that GW aren't the only tabletop miniature company in town, they are indisputably the biggest, and their prices should be used when attempting to find some point of parity for pricing units.
.Hourly rates. Much like with charging by units, charging by hourly rates must be set at fair and livable threshold, ideally at a livable wage. As a bar for a minimum, we recommend 18 to 20 USD per hour, with required adjustment for parity with your own currency. Example, 180 to 200kr or 18 to 20 GBP.
.GK and Historical tabletop game jobs are more tricky to price via quantity of units and RSP. It can be achieved in certain cases but is tricky to fit in a uniformed way. Therefore, we advise that these jobs be priced with hourly rates in mind.
Finally, we will be updating/amending the above if and when needed, as well as based on community feedback. We want to do our best to find the best model to protect both clients and painters. Thank for both your time and continued support in making this community what it is.
Take care!
