How much to charge?

kuulani

kuulani

New Member
I just translated a brochure into Hawaiian for a National Park in Hawaii, and now I have to make an invoice and decide on how much to charge them per hour for my services.

Does anyone have any idea on how much I should charge? (Seriously now, I have no idea how much is reasonable).
 
I really have no idea how valuable translation services are. If it's nothing special, $10-$15/hr would seem reasonable. Some things, like law/engineering/psychology time run mor like $50/hr.

:confuse3:
 
I was thinking $10-$15 too.
Someone told me that I can charge more since I have a master's degree ... but I still don't know what to charge :shrug:
 
I'm thinking maybe 20-25, but remember I'm in Canada, so I don't know how that translates. Did you try looking at some translator's websites? Maybe some of them have their rates posted, you could get an idea from that. :confuse3:
 
Okay, I'm leaning towards $30/hr. Thanks for the input!!

*damn my i-don't-wanna-charge-too-much tendencies*


Why can't we go back to the bartering system? I'd be happy with a nice dinner and some beer/wine. :D
 
Aren't you supposed to tell them the price before you do the work? :confuse3:


Ahh well, $30 an hour is like $47 Canadian. :eek:

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Normal translations fee is $ 0.10 per word.

I'm serious about that. I know a few people who do that for a living :)
 
$.0.10 a word? Lemme see ...

2,103 words x $0.10 = $210.30

Hmm ... I'll make more charging $30/hr ...

$30/hr x 8 hours = $240

:D
 
How much people do you know speak Hawaiian? Out of that many people, how many people do you know are willing to take time out to translate a brochure? :p

Here's another one, how many people are employed by the National Park Service? Don't they have ONE person out of that many people that could've done it? :p

:D
 
The statistic from the labor depatment reflected that. HI rates for translators are in like the top 5 for all 50 states. Theres a society for translators based out of Honolulu that probably could have done it for like 17-20/hr. Hawaii Interpreters & Translators Association (HITA) (808) 946-8848
 
I never heard of that organization.

I work with some of the best Hawaiian language speakers in the state, both here at the foundation and at the University. Nobody I know works at that organization. If their rates are $17-20, I'm justified at charging more :D

Unfortunately, not many Hawaiians can speak the language. That's why I get to charge so much. Hopefully some day every Hawaiian can speak Hawaiian, and I won't have to charge people for translations.
 
Rock on. Charge whatever you think they won't balk in paying. Is this under the table or are they going to 1099 ya?
 
Do you think you might get some more work out of this? If so, you might want to discuss future work with them and give them a 'discounted rate' if they will give you more work.
 
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