outsourcing your design

[CoolHandLuke]

what are you gonna charge per design?

that's my current dilemma. so far I have been approached by no less than 3 different "large" businesses wanting me to do work. this means three different "styles" of design; some will want designed out of the bite x mm, some will ask for less, and yet some may ask for everything cutback...


then along with price comes turnaround time. what IF somehow I get a really huge case with a lot of issues...

there is a lot to consider and working for a lab allows and affords me the opportunity to work in an enclosed environment where if there is a problem it can be ironed out quickly BEFORE a scan is done.

if I get a case from a lab who is charging for example 99 bucks a unit, and my fee as a designer is 10 dollars then ive eaten a half a day with emailing back and forth, eaten lab time and eaten into the black lines of the business.

i can typically get any single unit out in 10 mins with custom hand drawn anatomy out of the bite slightly. anteriors same thing. ive done full mouth reconstruction in 2 hours.

i guess the bottom line here is i can't get bogged down in the single unit bread and butter posterior cases. for it to be worth something to a lab to hire a designer, i'd need to be fed daily with 3 unit bridges or more. then i can cater to more clients and each client i cater to will not be sending me simple cases they could do themselves.

at the same time, garbage in is garbage out; what you send me is what i work with. i need certain things to make certain other things. i need pre-preparation guides or waxups or such if you want custom denture rests or for crowns under partials, and i need communication to make each case work.

 

[rkm rdt]

Determine what you need to make a living and work backwards.

$20/hr or 30/hr

I would charge $1/min.=$60/hr

 

[eyeloveteeth]

that's my current dilemma. so far I have been approached by no less than 3 different "large" businesses wanting me to do work. this means three different "styles" of design; some will want designed out of the bite x mm, some will ask for less, and yet some may ask for everything cutback...


then along with price comes turnaround time. what IF somehow I get a really huge case with a lot of issues...

there is a lot to consider and working for a lab allows and affords me the opportunity to work in an enclosed environment where if there is a problem it can be ironed out quickly BEFORE a scan is done.

if I get a case from a lab who is charging for example 99 bucks a unit, and my fee as a designer is 10 dollars then ive eaten a half a day with emailing back and forth, eaten lab time and eaten into the black lines of the business.

i can typically get any single unit out in 10 mins with custom hand drawn anatomy out of the bite slightly. anteriors same thing. ive done full mouth reconstruction in 2 hours.

i guess the bottom line here is i can't get bogged down in the single unit bread and butter posterior cases. for it to be worth something to a lab to hire a designer, i'd need to be fed daily with 3 unit bridges or more. then i can cater to more clients and each client i cater to will not be sending me simple cases they could do themselves.

at the same time, garbage in is garbage out; what you send me is what i work with. i need certain things to make certain other things. i need pre-preparation guides or waxups or such if you want custom denture rests or for crowns under partials, and i need communication to make each case work.

all of this is the intrinsic problem with offering straight design services. At the end of the day the money maker is that single unit posterior crown. Also - you will now take on all the "design" issues that the lab may incur from client or even with the lab not liking your design.

 

[CoolHandLuke]

I guess what i'm trying to do is mimic Atlantis with their ability to take scans and make designs and send it to you for approval before making it themselves. except i'd be a middleman-to-a-middleman and further send it to the milling center of choice.

I need to offer something unique. something dazzling. something game-changing. I need raw power, I need a hail-mary pass, I need....

Monsters...

 

[2bearnest]

interesting ideas. I suppose you could even have a business model where you have no lab at all and just outsource everything. At that point you could just procure work, scan/design from home, and send to your choice of manufacturer. Not sure if you would need to have a CDT.

 

[Pointcloud]

Design Remotely - You can advanced Export and `Design' as Required however the idea of using a program like Teamviewer would be tough! Can Lag with the mouse!

 

[CoolHandLuke]

I won't be using a mouse

 

[amadent]

when 1st starting out do only what you do best and what you are sure you turn a profit on
the last thing you want is to get held up on cases you may no be familiar with right out of the gate-

any chance you can work with your current employer and perhaps rent his machine on the weekends or after hours proir to you making such a lagre investment in buying/leasing a unit on your own-

work up a small loyal following and then make the leap

 

[jerry]

good idea i love it ,,,

 

[RJS8669]

Let me know when you get up and running. Just to be upfront, my usage of such a service would be sporadic - vacation/sick days/mental health days. I tried Full Contour a while ago with not very good results. Some cases weren't done in the time agreed upon and the designs were very inconsistent. It would be great to find someone who was talented and reliable...

 

[BobCDT]

CAP is now selling 3Shape and all other products into Canada.

 

[AltreX]

I could retire at $1 per click

Dude, consider me as a ofshore partner We gonna make a mint! yeehaa

 

[rkm rdt]

I considered an offshore partner once.

Problem was he couldn't keep his head above water!

 

[Techy]

Where are you located in Canada?
Why not do "Contract" work in the meantime?
Good designers are hard to find,,,that being said many of my labs are "particular" with certain aspects of a restoration, good or bad!

 

[CoolHandLuke]

this is an old dead thread that is no longer relevant

 

[KentPWalton]

Heck...I'd love to make a little money on the side. Work a few more hours every week

and make a little extra change. Money is always relevant CHL!