Distributing DWG files to others, how do you charge

[jmedley]

As an architect we are constantly being asked for our Acad files for use by others. Suppliers so that they can use our plans for shop drawings, etc. We even have contractors who want the files so that they can get multi copies. They have a charge account at XYZ Reprographics. How do others handle these request? Do you charge for the files? Since we have upgraded to version 2007 we spend consideralbe time converting back to as far as version 2000. We have been asked for version 14, but have just flat out refused. If you charge for files or for your time preparing these files, how do you base your charges.

Thanks for your help!

Jim

[Chris.N]

As an architect we are constantly being asked for our Acad files for use by others. Suppliers so that they can use our plans for shop drawings, etc. We even have contractors who want the files so that they can get multi copies. They have a charge account at XYZ Reprographics. How do others handle these request? Do you charge for the files? Since we have upgraded to version 2007 we spend consideralbe time converting back to as far as version 2000. We have been asked for version 14, but have just flat out refused. If you charge for files or for your time preparing these files, how do you base your charges.

Thanks for your help!

Jim

i... must... get this off... my chest. i love DWF and PUBLISH.... they are .... just awesome!!
(sorry, but you DID post this Q in the 'Fun Zone'...)
with a free viewer, it's sad that other's don't share this enthusiasm. your XYZ repro would (should) have it, too.

[jmedley]

I use publish a lot. However; all of these guys donot want a file they can read! They want someone else to do half of their work. I am an old line draftsman. I even know what a "Tee square" is. I've worn out a few.

Jim

[avdesign]

DWF and eTransmit all the way baby...
I hate getting drawings from Arch's, MEP's, and others that don't have all the info so I can do Audio Visual drawings.

Also Purge Purge Purge and Audit your drawings

[Chris.N]

I use publish a lot. However; all of the guys I want donot want a file they can read! They want someone else to do half of their work. I am an old line draftsman. I even know what a "Tee square" is. I've worn out a few.

Jim

we charge just slightly less than our local repro for each sheet itself, but if they want someone to 'assemble' files, we charge for our time too. that will usually get them on the ball for doing stuff themselves.

hey, are you a fan of the balloon fiesta?

[Wanderer]

hi there! i'm moving this thread from the CWC to this one, as I believe it will be better served here. Thanks!

As an architect we are constantly being asked for our Acad files for use by others. Suppliers so that they can use our plans for shop drawings, etc. We even have contractors who want the files so that they can get multi copies. They have a charge account at XYZ Reprographics. How do others handle these request? Do you charge for the files? Since we have upgraded to version 2007 we spend consideralbe time converting back to as far as version 2000. We have been asked for version 14, but have just flat out refused. If you charge for files or for your time preparing these files, how do you base your charges.

Thanks for your help!

Jim

[Wanderer]

In that past, I would just sort of eat the cost, or charge it back to a project, but, now, I link to DWG TRUE CONVERT free download on our construction site where we keep our CAD standards and base arch files.

As an architect we are constantly being asked for our Acad files for use by others. Suppliers so that they can use our plans for shop drawings, etc. We even have contractors who want the files so that they can get multi copies. They have a charge account at XYZ Reprographics. How do others handle these request? Do you charge for the files? Since we have upgraded to version 2007 we spend consideralbe time converting back to as far as version 2000. We have been asked for version 14, but have just flat out refused. If you charge for files or for your time preparing these files, how do you base your charges.

Thanks for your help!

Jim

[H-Angus]

I'm not a fan of of giving out our dwg files, we've had problems in the past where a client got hold of our drawings, changed the layouts and then printed copies of and sent to site, still with our company logo etc on it. When they realised on site that their stair cases only had about 1200mm head room guess who they phoned first to rant at?

Basically they have no need for dwg's, if changes to drawings are required then we ask to be instructed for the work and we charge accordingly. Otherwise they could do what they want but not with our company name on it.

We try to push dwf's but occasionally do pdfs.

[Avatart]

As often as not, we are contractually obliged to send out dwg's. We tend to send a dwf/plt/pdf set as well, so if the site guys change it, we just compare it to the fixed format files. You have to be a bit careful with pdf's though, they are changeable.

If it not in our contract, we charge the same rate per drawing file as we would for hard copy, with a premium for format/version changes and a fixed extra price for each CD/DVD and post and packing. We will hit them with a similar rate for binding and posting to FTP.

Having said all that, now we are all Object Modellers, we will be collocating servers and porting data down to the contractors, we do this for extra fee from the client.

[H-Angus]

All of our clients get given a fee quote for a set amount of work, with a prints etc commanding an additional charge per drawing which is noted in a pinting excel file and charged monthly.

We have excel files which we call project history sheets and any work we do on a project is written in this file along with the number of hours spent. Work which has been included in the original fee quote is written in green and work which is over and above the original is written in black, black hours get charged at an additional hourly rate (rate depends on who does it, an Architect will have a higher rate than say a Technician).

When we have to save drawings in a different format then we put the time spent doing it down as black hours (unless of course this had previously been agreed in the original fee quote).

Guess what I have to sort out at the end of each month? I hate fee accounts but I guess we wouldn't get paid otherwise.