[Equest-users] Energy Modeling Fees

[Haynes, Glenn]

Pasha,
 
I think you base fee assumptions are about right.  I can do a
residential (single family) model for less than that if I have a fairly
close template model to start with.
 
But C&I is another class of modeling because of the diversity, and I
concur that you have to price those models based on size and complexity.
 
This is a good topic for our users group, and I am eager to hear more
opinions.
 
Glenn

________________________________

From: equest-users-bounces at lists.onebuilding.org
[mailto:equest-users-bounces at lists.onebuilding.org] On Behalf Of Pasha
Korber-Gonzalez
Sent: Monday, May 24, 2010 10:40 PM
To: John David Waller
Cc: equest-users at lists.onebuilding.org
Subject: Re: [Equest-users] Energy Modeling Fees


Hi John,
 
I am soooo glad that you asked about this.  I would be more than happy
to talk with you and the rest of our energy modeling community about how
to price energy models, how to calculate & justify fees for energy
models, etc.
 
This is a VERY important discussion that needs to happen amongst this
group and amongst our colleagues regarding the true value of our
services and the value that clients are willing to pay for our services.
 
What do you want to know?  What do you want to discuss?  I usually start
with a couple of baseline factors that I use as targets when I put
together fees for the projects that I bid on;  $/sq ft, $/hour, but as
everything is with energy models..."it depends."
 
Let's talk about this...  we can talk online or feel free to email me
offline, or call me at 308-763-1593.
 
As a bottom line--I will offer that at a base fee to cover 40 hrs worth
of billable work for any type of energy model at an average cost
estimate of $100/hr which is a good average for most consulting
companies billable rates.  Based on this very rarely should any energy
model fee come in under $4000 just based on the amount of work that
needs to be done on even simple models.   Of course your overall
price/cost/fees need to be based on a specific scope of work for
whatever the energy model will be used for.

If there are others out there that have experience with energy model
fees please comment.  My base rule of thumb is this;  "if you give your
client a low fee the first time around, they will expect it everytime."
Once you charge low fees for your services you will not be able to raise
them as your customers will expect low fees everytime.  Not only do
"low-ballers" hurt themselves but they hurt all of us in the industry.
All of us as simulators know the amount of time & skill that it takes to
learn how to use these programs and how to execute projects successfully
using these programs.  If we are sending out low fees for these services
we are severly undervaluing our own work and giving our clients the
wrong impression.  As the art of negotiation is something that we work
on everyday, it's better to always start with the fee that you want, and
then tailor, customize, negotiate to a fee that you & the client can
accept.  Maybe they don't get as much work as they wanted, maybe you get
a bit more in your fee than the client planned to pay.  Win-win for
all...when it all works out right.  ;)
 
 
Pasha
 
 
On Thu, May 20, 2010 at 10:14 AM, John David Waller
<jwaller at email.arizona.edu> wrote:


	Would anyone be willing to share what a 'fair market fee' for
energy modeling services might look like?
	 
	I realize that there are many variables involved in defining the
cost of such services, i.e. level of detail, stage in the design
process, size of the project, etc... I am an eQUEST pleeb, and seek only
to determine reasonable rates for this service and ones that won't scare
any potential clients away.
	 
	Thanks in advance.

	John
	

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