Would You Charge More For This Detail Work?

Business By Jessica1817 Updated 4 Feb 2009 , 9:18pm by Jessica1817

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Jessica1817 Posted 29 Jan 2009 , 3:38am
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After posting this cake in another forum to double-check, it seems the consensus is that this is brushed embroidery. I have done this technique on simple designs, but not to the extent as on this cake, so I can't estimate the amount of time it would take (although I'm imagining crazy hours!). Would you charge additional for this detail work, or would it be reasonable to charge your base price?
Thanks, I just don't want to undercharge and kick myself at 3:00am icon_smile.gif
LL

55 replies
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CakeForte Posted 29 Jan 2009 , 4:03am
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Lets say it is for 150 ppl. I would quote someone at least $1000.

edited to add- this is taking into consideration that its fondant plus the additional detail work and the bow.

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indydebi Posted 29 Jan 2009 , 4:07am
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I dont' charge extra for design elements. I don't like nickel and diming a bride to death. I don't like the "oh...plus this and plus that".

But yeah..... even *I* would charge extra for this.

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LaBellaFlor Posted 29 Jan 2009 , 4:16am
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Not to mention the silver dragee accents on the flowers can get quite pricey.

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summernoelle Posted 29 Jan 2009 , 4:16am
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Yes. That is lots of time there.

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jammjenks Posted 29 Jan 2009 , 10:00pm
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Quote:
Originally Posted by indydebi

I dont' charge extra for design elements. I don't like nickel and diming a bride to death. I don't like the "oh...plus this and plus that".

But yeah..... even *I* would charge extra for this.




You took the words out of my mouth.

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snarkybaker Posted 29 Jan 2009 , 10:25pm
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That cake would cost $9.50 a serving frm my bakery or double what a regular old buttercream wedding cake would.

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cakesdivine Posted 30 Jan 2009 , 2:55pm
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This would be in my "level 3" fondant cakes and depending on how many the cake serves the price would range from $9.25 to $12 per serving.

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dailey Posted 30 Jan 2009 , 5:02pm
post #9 of 56

when i did BE on a 6inch cake, it took me forever. so yes, definitely charge more!

lovely cake~do you have a full picture of it?

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Jessica1817 Posted 30 Jan 2009 , 5:06pm
post #10 of 56

Thanks for the feedback! When I emailed the bride, she of course was surprised at the increase in charge even though I explained the extra time required, so we'll see if she orders. thumbs_up.gif

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OhMyGanache Posted 2 Feb 2009 , 6:14pm
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Those flowers look very easy, as they are small and only an outline - not individual petals. I honestly think think this could be done very quickly - with each flower taking much less time than a piped buttercream rose.

My fondant cakes start at $4.50 per serving - but for brushed embroidery, I'd charge $5.50 serving.

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cylstrial Posted 2 Feb 2009 , 11:15pm
post #12 of 56
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jessica1817

Thanks for the feedback! When I emailed the bride, she of course was surprised at the increase in charge even though I explained the extra time required, so we'll see if she orders. thumbs_up.gif




If I may, what did you quote her the first time? And what was the 2nd quote? I'm just interested in learning what people charge. Hope you get the cake order!

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Jessica1817 Posted 3 Feb 2009 , 3:00am
post #13 of 56

My fondant cakes run $4 p/serving, I told her for this design (and explained why)it would be $5 p/serving. This is the first time I've ever increased the price because of design; interestingly she is looking at a different design icon_smile.gif

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CakeForte Posted 3 Feb 2009 , 3:22am
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I think you ripped yourself off. That's about 40% less than what the consensus was from this thread.

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newmansmom2004 Posted 3 Feb 2009 , 3:35am
post #15 of 56

That's a gorgeous cake. I'd definitely up my base price for fondant cakes with something like that. Even tho the flowers are small and there aren't a lot of individual petals, you have to do each flower in its entirety before you go on to the next one because the royal icing sets up pretty quickly. If you could pipe them all, then go back and do the brushwork it might go quicker, but you can't really do that on this cake.

Good luck - let us know how it turns out if she calls back!

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FromScratch Posted 3 Feb 2009 , 3:37am
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Not to mention that placing dragees on a cake is a BITCH!!! So small and roll-y. icon_lol.gif

I don't up charge for much either, but I would be adding on a PITA charge as well. My base is $5/serving and I wouldn't go less than $7/serving

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tonedna Posted 3 Feb 2009 , 3:45am
post #17 of 56

I am with those that say between 9 and 12. You could simplify it doing bigger flowers and putting only one dragee on the center. Yet it still will be a time consuming cake.
Edna icon_biggrin.gif

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OhMyGanache Posted 3 Feb 2009 , 1:55pm
post #18 of 56

Apparently, I've been doing brushed embroidery wrong then, because even when I've done a complex full rose pattern, it's still only taken me less than an hour for 2 tiers. Hmmmmm...

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FromScratch Posted 3 Feb 2009 , 5:22pm
post #19 of 56

The only way we'd know if you are doing it wrong is if you post the pictures.

No one here is knocking you.. if you are fast that's great. But doing 60-80 small flowers will be a pain and well worth an extra fee.

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jenlg Posted 3 Feb 2009 , 5:33pm
post #20 of 56

I think everyone's prices are reasonable....however..living in a small town here there's no way I could charge that much. People in this area aren't used to such high prices. It makes the business very tough.

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tonedna Posted 3 Feb 2009 , 5:33pm
post #21 of 56
Quote:
Originally Posted by jkalman

The only way we'd know if you are doing it wrong is if you post the pictures.

No one here is knocking you.. if you are fast that's great. But doing 60-80 small flowers will be a pain and well worth an extra fee.




My thought exactly..

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OhMyGanache Posted 3 Feb 2009 , 5:37pm
post #22 of 56
Quote:
Originally Posted by jkalman

The only way we'd know if you are doing it wrong is if you post the pictures.

No one here is knocking you.. if you are fast that's great. But doing 60-80 small flowers will be a pain and well worth an extra fee.




I probably should have rephrased my comment - it wasn't meant to sound snarky. I don't believe I'm doing it wrong (I learned from Colette Peters) - but I don't believe that it should take so long that it would warrant doubling your normal fondant cake price. If I did that to my customers, I would never get any but the simplest orders - and I would so tire of nothing but buttercream roses. *sigh*

Honestly, I have done a very beautiful brushed embroidery job on a cake in less than an hour - and I love cakes that I can decorate completely in so little time.

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lasidus1 Posted 3 Feb 2009 , 5:42pm
post #23 of 56

i'm actually curious about the texture of that cake. does it look to you like the base frosting has a texture to it? It almost looks like it was coated in sanding sugar then the brush embroidery was done. What does it look like to all of you? I think its gorgeous.

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Kitagrl Posted 3 Feb 2009 , 5:44pm
post #24 of 56

I was going to mention the texture too...LOVE this cake!

My guess would be some kind of sponge painting on the entire cake and THEN brush embroidery...looks like they blotted a bit of royal or something using a sponge around the entire cake before using a brush for the flowers.

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lasidus1 Posted 3 Feb 2009 , 5:46pm
post #25 of 56

i could see that sponging technique being the one. like they had very thinned down royal icing and blotted it on fondant/bc. lol i'm sorry if i'm hijacking this thread but i'm in love with that cake.

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tonedna Posted 3 Feb 2009 , 5:48pm
post #26 of 56

It looks to me like is been spotted with pearl dust either with a sponge a brush or an airbrush
Edna

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__Jamie__ Posted 3 Feb 2009 , 5:56pm
post #27 of 56
Quote:
Originally Posted by lasidus1

i'm actually curious about the texture of that cake. does it look to you like the base frosting has a texture to it? It almost looks like it was coated in sanding sugar then the brush embroidery was done. What does it look like to all of you? I think its gorgeous.




That is the very thing I thought as well.

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__Jamie__ Posted 3 Feb 2009 , 6:00pm
post #28 of 56

$10/svg. No less. That detail is in a level of it's own. Forget level 1 and 4 and 15....it would be non categorical, in my opinion. It's own special price! icon_smile.gif

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tonedna Posted 3 Feb 2009 , 6:01pm
post #29 of 56
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jamie85364

Quote:
Originally Posted by lasidus1

i'm actually curious about the texture of that cake. does it look to you like the base frosting has a texture to it? It almost looks like it was coated in sanding sugar then the brush embroidery was done. What does it look like to all of you? I think its gorgeous.



That is the very thing I thought as well.




The problem with doing sanding sugar is that the brush embroidery wont stick to the surface cause the sugar will be on your way.
Edna

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Kitagrl Posted 3 Feb 2009 , 6:02pm
post #30 of 56

Yeah I don't think it could be sanding sugar for that reason...

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