Pixel Haven · Reviewed 2026-10-04
Count more than production time
Include planning, meetings, delivery and the revisions included in the agreement. List materials, overhead allocated to this job and delivery costs. Use your own records to improve estimates over time.
Separate cost from price
Your cost is the basis for a decision. A contingency is an amount added for uncertainty, expressed as a percentage of the base cost. Break-even covers the adjusted cost; a proposed selling price can be higher or lower depending on your decision.
Know which percentage you mean
With a cost of MVR 1,000, a 25% markup gives a price of MVR 1,250. A 25% gross margin gives MVR 1,333.33 because margin is measured against the selling price. They are different calculations.
Put the boundary in writing
Define what is included, the number or hours of included revisions, additional revision charges, exclusions, validity and payment terms. A clear quotation helps both sides understand the same job.
Keep the customer copy separate
The customer needs the scope, terms and proposed amount. Your internal cost and margin analysis stays private. Make the agreed deliverables, price and payment terms clear before sharing a quotation.
Write a scope someone else can understand
For a fictional poster project, the scope might be one A4 poster, client-supplied wording and images, two revision rounds, and delivery as a print PDF and a web image. Additional sizes, new copy and later changes would need a separate agreement. The point is to make the job measurable before attaching a price.
- Name each deliverable and its format.
- Say what the client must supply and when the schedule can begin.
- Define the included revisions and how extra work is agreed.
- Separate the delivery date from dependencies such as feedback and approvals.
- Check the final amount, validity and payment terms before issuing the quotation.