I am starting to get enough business that I am mostly booked, but then something happens that means I have a gap (in this case, the movers asked to reschedule me to the 5th of September from the 31st). I coincidentally got an inquiry about a job I'd love to do, but it has 10 days notice.

I am thinking of accepting it, but establishing a 20% rush job fee for any orders with less than 2 weeks notice for cookies, or one month for single-tier cakes (I will never take on a multitier with less than a month, for I am not insane).

I keep going back and forth on this; on the one hand, I am moving, and this is a good job that will make me about $100 in a dead week. On the other hand, if it fits in my schedule, is it really a 'rush job'?

I am eager to hear from anyone on what you do about rush jobs; when/if you accept them, how you charge for them, etc.

Stephanie.

Everyone has their own definition of a rush job.  For me, it's within the same week.

I personally wouldn't charge one for this particular order.  You can easily fit it into your schedule.  Plus you risk losing the customer for no reason because with two weeks to go before they need it, they probably would be able to find someone else to do the order and not have to pay a fee.

ATo call something a rush, to me, means you're dropping what you're doing right then, and starting to work in it immediately. That's just me though.

I don't charge rush fees...I can either complete the order by deadline or I can't.

AI charge $5, or 10% - whichever is greater - with less than 2 weeks notice for a tiered/specialty cakes and 48 hours for smaller orders (cupcakes, cookies, etc.) Posting the rush fees encourages people to book early and I've rarely had to charge one.

yeah. I am thinking that what I will do, in the future, a comparable schedule. I think I will consider a 'rush job' to be anything that, combined with work already in house, is booked under one week from the event, and going to extend my daily schedule beyond 10 hours. 

So if it's Thursday and a customer wants cookies on Saturday, and I have nothing booked for Friday, it's just a lucky job that means I won't have a fallow day. If they want them on Saturday but I already have work in house, there will be a fee.

I want the work, but I work at home, and I really need to watch out for 'Well, if I'll be up 16 hours of the day, I should just work all of them, since the work is sitting RIGHT THERE.'