Rates

My current consulting rates, as of January 1, 2022, are as follows:

Rate Schedule
First Hour Spent	$250
Per Hour after First Hour	$150
Travel Fee	Dependant on Time/Milage
Remote Consulting (phone/email)	$75/hr

Availability

Usually after first contact I can be able to schedule an appointment within a day or two. Sometimes arrangements can be made same-day (there would be no extra charge for this if it is convenient for me). Sometimes I get wrapped up in big projects that take up more of my time and while I may try to squeeze in smaller jobs, I cannot always be available. I can schedule appointments for whenever is best for you: evenings, weekends, mornings, whenever.

Remote Consulting

There will be times when I am not available to come out to a location. This does not mean that I cannot help. I am usually available to do remote consulting either by telephone or by email. Remote consulting includes researching parts/products, instructing contractors, coordinating with interior designers, answering a million questions, etc. I do charge for this, as my time is valuable. $75/hr means that five 10-minute phone calls in one day is $75, not $375. Sitting at my computer for 2 hours looking up information on a product you want and then configuring it into your existing system is $150. I usually will not charge for coming up with proposals (depending on the level of detail) or scheduling appointments, but anything that I would normally do on-site during billable time will be charged and factored in to the final bill.

System Design

When I design systems it some times takes a long time. I have to figure what equipment works best for the application and then which equipment works best with the main equipment I'm selecting. Then I have to imagine how everything is going to be connected and how it will be automated for convenience. Then I have to write it all down in a way that makes sense. Depending on the size of the system this can take hours or even days for much larger systems. Because time is valuable I will sometimes need to factor this cost into the project. Normally it is something I am able to dismiss because of the time and hassle it saves later because of good planning and organization.

Rush/Emergency and Rescheduling

Sometimes things come up, and I get that. I will always try to work around your schedule to help you out. However, if you are in a rush to the point where I have to reschedule someone else to accommodate you or if you deem your project an "emergency" I will have to add an additional two billable hours to your balance for each time you schedule/reschedule where it affects someone else.

Standard Markup