Stone Mark-up

["Clive Murray-White" <clivemw@zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz>]

Dear Bill,

The trouble with standard do-it-yourself ready-made contracts is that they
never match your particular circumstances. I know it hurts paying lawyers
but my advice is to use them, they are so expensive because of what they can
save you in the long run if things go wrong.

Before you go to see your lawyer just list everything that you feel that you
may need in a contract.

Re: what you call a mark-up, I would never describe that way in a quotation
or contract.
It is a genuine cost, this is why contracted works usually cost more than
the things we make ourselves for separate sale. When you write a budget for
the project every cost potential or otherwise should be listed, so when you
come to materials, the piece of stone, every cost associated with must be
included, your time and costs selecting it, transporting it, + anything that
you do to minimise failure of the project like buying twice as much as you
need.

Instead of calling something a mark-up, which I think most clients would
feel funny about, I include a contingency charge, eg. x tonnes of stone
...$x transport $x cost of selecting $x and x% contingency allowance. In
each category of the quotation or budget there is a contingency % based on
the risk.

The most important thing about contracts, formal letters which do just as
well, orders etc is that before anything is written down you and the client
negotiate the conditions underwhich you are happy to do the work. Of course
this makes sense but so many people frighten their client by dumping a
fierce looking contract in front of them. Talk it through, make sure they
understand their obligations and you yours to them.

I've just been through all this in a very big way, the client was actually
comprised of 4 separate entities each of which needed to be satisfied as
they all had roles in the process ranging from actually paying the money to
placing the work.

Get a lawyer.

Regards Clive

Sculptor Clive Murray-White
Cowwarr Art Space
Cowwarr Gippsland Vic. Aus.
Ph: 03 51489321 Fax 0351489498
E-mail: clivemw@---------------
Web: www.cowwarr.com