my-ty

Most customers believe that an estimate is a quote. Charge your customer, what you originally estimated.

Learn from this experience, and next time your estimating should improve.

Remember: You have not lost money on this project. You have only lost some of your income.

quiltingshorttimer

I'd go with the estimate plus 10%--when I have work done on anything I expect my contractor to be able to give me a pretty accurate estimate and now that it might be a bit more, but not a large amount. If they can't, then I need to know that BEFORE they start work or they need to absorb the excess.
One suggestion for the future is to give your estimate as a 2 part one--one with the quilting quoted by the square inch--this will not vary and give you a good base. Then the 2nd part for the piecing/assembly--which is where you need to be really keeping track of the time involved in EVERY quilt you make so that you can get better at estimating. Plus, always give yourself a higher time estimate as often you will need a little more time than you think! When making t-shirt quilts, I quote a total that is all based on per/square inch--but I built that price line on keeping track of every t-shirt quilt I made so that I knew how long it actually takes me.

toverly

Stick with the estimate. But let your friend know that you underestimated your time and what it would cost if you were to make another one. I wouldn't expect her to offer to pay more, just that when she talks about it or shows it to someone else, they won't expect you to do it for the same price.
y
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bkay

People don't usually differentiate between quote and estimate. (think about the plumber) When you give an estimate and you mean it to be an estimate, you have to qualify it. You have to add something like, "I think it will take me a week to do this." "However, if it takes longer than that, it will be more." If the conversation did not include the contingencies like, "If it takes longer", "I'm not sure" or "This is just a guess". "We'll have to wait to see how much time it takes", then you are stuck. Had you told her that, she might not have wanted you to make the quilt. But my guess is that you didn't tell her any of those things. Presenting her with a higher price and then just saying, "The $150.00 was just an estimate, you know. It's took longer than I thought and it will be $250.00". In that situation, she would not have a choice. She would have to pay you whatever you asked or risk problems at church. Were I her, I would be unhappy, but I would pay. I would avoid you like the plague, though.

This will sound ugly, but the suggestion to add $35.00 with some mathematical explanation is not a good idea in my opinion. $35.00 won't really recoup your time and it will just make you look petty. Think about how much you want to charge her and see if the extra is really worth what it will cost both you and her.

I say, just own it. You screwed up - plain and simple. Don't make her pay for your screw up. You just have to chalk it up to, "live and learn". If you're going to quilt for money (or have any kind of business), you have some learn the lessons. They aren't free.

I was a caterer for 20 years. When I first started, I often under-priced a job because I wanted the business, didn't stop to count the food cost, the entire labor cost and was afraid if I quoted them what it was really worth, the wouldn't buy. They'd get someone else . After a few months, I figured out that I could stay home and do nothing and make the same money. At that point, I decided that they could take it or leave it, but either I made money or I stayed home. It's part of learning to be in business. You have to learn to quote what you want and walk away if they don't want it. Walking away is never easy. Quoting what you want is not easy, either.

My suggestion:

Tell her how pleased you are to have made the quilt for her. Explain that it was a learning experience for you (don't talk about money) and you learned so much on her project. You can't imagine anyone you'd rather have made this beautiful quilt for than her. Give her the quilt with grace and a smile. If you have to pray (or whatever you do to channel your best you) to get to the place you can be generous, do it. You'll never regret it.

bk

Vicki1212

Bkay, my thoughts exactly! In my opinion, you are 100% correct, especially with regards to the term 'estimate' and 'quote'. Technically, a quotation is a fixed price payable by the customer, whereas an estimate gives you leeway for charging more or charging less.......as long as you have specified as such, as in Bkay's response.

cathyvv

You'll figure out what to do for this case, although i highly recommend that you let her know of a price increase well before you do all the work and hand over the quilt. In any case, let her know that the quilt was a learning experience for you and that you are doing (whatever you do) for her case only - especially if you don't charge her more than the estimate - that in the future you will include a clause in the estimate for handling a case like hers in the estimate.

Going forward, include a "+" percentage fin all estimates to manage cases like this. That gives your client a maximum price for the work. Or base piecing on the number of pieces per block, or something similar.

Good luck!

cathyvv

This is better than my suggestion, for sure.

cathyvv

Asking your client to show the quilt she made it to others will invariably lead to the question of cost. If the client says $300 (what she paid) vs what it cost (time and materials) which may be $500, the other ladies will expect similarly lower prices. The client must know that before she starts talking up your work to friends.