Had a chat with my neighbor about how I charge for custom wood signs

My neighbor saw me working on a sign for a cafe and asked why I only charge $50 per hour. She said she bills $100 an hour for her graphic design work and I should too. It hit me that I've been basing my rate on what I think people will pay, not the value of the work. Has anyone else had a friend or family member make you realize you're lowballing yourself?

3 comments

3 Comments

ben_fisher12d ago

I once had a friend tell me I was charging less than the guy who walks dogs in our neighborhood.

milalewis12d ago

Yeah the dog walker thing really puts it in perspective. I mean if someone's paying $50 an hour for a dog to get walked, a custom handcrafted sign is way more valuable than that. It's like we get stuck in our own heads about what feels fair and forget that people pay for skill and uniqueness, not just labor.

parker_webb11d ago

Fifty bucks an hour for dog walking seems pretty steep, but comparing that to a sign is apples and oranges. The sign's value is whatever someone's willing to pay for it, not what a dog walker makes. I guess my point is, it's not a contest where one job's worth is a benchmark for another. People pay for convenience and peace of mind with the dog walker, but with the sign, they're paying for something they plan to keep for years. The comparison is interesting, but it's not really a measurement of fairness.