Drafting service rates may differ according to the skills of the drafters. Whatever their advanced skill level, outsourced personnel will increase the effectiveness of any business through greater productive levels and also reduced operational expenses and overhead costs. It’s always a good idea to know the different rates that draftsmen charge because it helps in properly estimating the costs for your specific project.  The cost of a drawing is determined by the type of drawing you want and the size. One way to accurately determine the drafting service rates is to learn about the factors involved in pricing their services.

Drafting service rate per hour varies on the skill set of the offered CAD services. Many companies insist on hourly rates when the time length of projects exceed 100 hours. This clause is also enforced when it is very hard to estimate the completion time due to the project nature.

Here are some of the things that can affect drafting service rates.

Skill level of the draftsman

If you need a drawing of a commercial design, an architectural drafter who specializes in residential work may not be able to assist you. You’ll need to hire a draftsman with expertise in commercial architecture.  Generally, commercial draftsmen rates more than residential draftsmen because their work is more difficult and covers a bigger scope.

Size

It’s easier to run a mile versus 26. Likewise, it’s easier to draft a one-room addition than a five-bedroom house. You won’t be able to change the project size, but as you can see via the average draftsperson prices above, size does play a major role.

Complexity of the job

All additions or homes were not created equal. All projects are different — designs for a high-end commercial space will naturally cost more than those for, let’s say, granny flats… For example, it’s harder to draft a second-story addition with no floor beneath it versus a one-bedroom on the ground level. It’s also more difficult to come up with a blueprint if electrical and plumbing is not already set up (but needs to added). All in all, simplicity will keep your drafter costs down.

Plans

Both drafters and architects can work off pre-created plans or create their own plans. As you might expect, creating custom plans is more expensive than working off pre-created plans. Simply put, usually, modifying a pre-created plan is less work then starting from scratch. Nonetheless, depending on your wish list, some custom plans are cheaper.

Timeline

Finally, the timeliness of your project will affect the cost to hire a draftsman. Most draftsmen charge by the hour. So the longer it takes to complete a design, the more it’s going to cost you. As a general rule, more complex work requires a longer timeline of completion. Like any other service, rushed work costs money. Changing schedules, reprioritizing and rushed deadlines always cost more than lengthy, organized timelines.

Each job is examined in its entirety based upon particular needs. The actual estimate or quotation is given only after scope of work is received. If a project needs a higher level of technical expertise, then that person is subject to separate billing and not a part of a package.