Set designers send estimates after a script read, a concept meeting, or a creative brief, and before any drawings or purchasing begin. Clients usually compare your design fee, the total build and materials budget, and how much of the work you manage yourself against other designers or in-house art departments. A clear quote also sets the design budget the director or producer will be working to.
When to use estimates: Use estimates to provide project quotes and get client approval before starting work. Once approved, convert your estimate to an invoice with one click to collect payment.
Create an invoice for payment collection
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Clients often assume different levels of documentation, and each deliverable takes a different amount of time.
Adding a scene or a second location mid-project changes the workload, and the quote should show the baseline.
Stating whether materials, fabrication, and rentals are inside your fee, in a separate client-held budget, or billed as reimbursables prevents surprises.
Directors and clients often change their minds, so set a limit before the first concept meeting.
Compressed timelines and late approvals are the main reason jobs go over, and a schedule gives you grounds for rush fees.
Clients may assume you handle the build; listing what you do not do avoids unpaid work.
Defining whether the client is licensed for one production or may reuse the design avoids later disputes.
| Service | Priced | Typical range |
|---|---|---|
| Theater set design (small to mid-size production) | flat fee per production | $1,500-6,000 |
| Commercial or photo shoot set design | per day | $450-1,200 |
| Film/TV art department prep and shoot (independent productions) | per day | $400-900 |
| Concept sketches, renderings, and 3D models | per hour | $50-110 |
| Technical drawings and build packages (CAD/Vectorworks) | per hour | $55-100 |
| Event or trade show environment design | flat fee per project | $1,000-5,000 |
| Prop and décor sourcing or shopping | per hour | $35-75 |
| Build management and on-site installation supervision | per day | $350-800 |
Typical US ranges. Rates vary by region, experience, and job size.
Estimate the hours for concept, drawings, sourcing, and on-site days, then compare the total to the typical flat fee for that kind of production. If the two numbers are far apart, adjust your scope or your price.
Give the client one figure for your creative work and another estimate for materials and fabrication. This lets them cut build costs without cutting your fee, and shows where the money goes.
Include 10-15% for unforeseen changes in materials pricing, last-minute script revisions, or venue constraints. Say that unused contingency is not billed.
Present a basic option (drawings only), a standard option (drawings plus sourcing), and a full option (design plus build supervision). Clients with limited budgets can choose what to keep.
A brief conversation and a rough quote are normally free. If a client wants concept sketches, a mood board, or a rendering to pitch to their own client, charge a pitch or concept fee, and credit it toward the full fee if you get the job.
Thirty days is common. Lumber, fabric, and rental pricing change, and production calendars fill up, so state an expiration date and note that dates are held only after a deposit.
Include a change clause stating that significant changes, such as added sets, a new venue, or major revisions after design approval, will be re-quoted or billed hourly. Send a short written change order before doing the extra work.
Ask for a range or a target build budget before you quote, since set design scales with it. If the client cannot say, give your design fee as a fixed number and the build as a rough estimate with a note that it will be updated after design approval.
Use the Set Designer invoice template to bill the client, or convert this estimate once it's approved.
Set Designer invoice template