[knitterpotter]

Hello,
How does one charge for the use of their studios?
Thanks.
Lana

[bciskepottery]

I refer them to a local studio that charges $6 hour. My studio is in my home and I don't want to think of the problems if the "authorities" and insurance company found out I was selling time to others.

[sawing]

A friend and I are working out a barter agreement. She will use my home studio in exchange for some artwork that she will do for me for my daughter's wedding. I agree with the previous poster, however, that I wouldn't let anyone in there that I didn't know and trust.

[Mark C.]

This is a whole can of worms if things go wrong. I would not charge as this enters a business agreement that I do not want to get involved with. I did it long ago -79-80 and will never do it again.Things can and will go a astray and then its a bad situation that money does not cure.
Mark

[Marcia Selsor]

since I taught for many years I guard my home studio as my private space. I have been asked to give classes there , but it would require getting insurance for such a purpose. I really enjoy having the time to myself after being a teacher for so long. I would second the first reply, and refer someone to an arts center or community facility.
Marcia

[Mossyrock]

Lana, I'm glad you posted this question. My studio is in my home and I have been asked many times if I would consider teaching there and/or renting studio time. Like Marsha, I've always considered my studio my private space. I teach at the wonderful Sawtooth School and refer people who ask to that facility. My studio could never compete with what the school has to offer. However, I've never thought about the insurance and business implications of renting the space. Now I can add that to my reasons for not renting studio time. I have a friend who did once and said she will never do it again. It ended up in a situation like Mark indicated.

[knitterpotter]

Mossyrock, on 16 August 2012 - 08:02 AM, said:

Lana, I'm glad you posted this question. My studio is in my home and I have been asked many times if I would consider teaching there and/or renting studio time. Like Marsha, I've always considered my studio my private space. I teach at the wonderful Sawtooth School and refer people who ask to that facility. My studio could never compete with what the school has to offer. However, I've never thought about the insurance and business implications of renting the space. Now I can add that to my reasons for not renting studio time. I have a friend who did once and said she will never do it again. It ended up in a situation like Mark indicated.

Thank you all for your input. I too am looking foward to being on my own after sharing classes with lots of people. I do know someone who would like to fire her stuff somewhere other than the classroom so was considering just charging for firing and glazing. I like her and know there wouldn't be any issues - the nice thing about having your own space - can control who you invite in. I will certainly think about all you have said.
Thank you very much.

[Chris Campbell]

The problem does not lie in inviting them in ... It's more about wanting them gone.
Yes, I am very protective of my space.

[Christine]

A long time ago, I held some classes in my studio - it's only small, so I limited it to a once-a-week, six-week starter course for three people. It was enjoyable and profitable, but I would never do it again. Apart from the hassle of having to add (lots of!) extra insurance to my standard public liability policy, and even though the students were lovely people, I was SO HAPPY to have my space back just for me ....

If there are alternative facilities near you, I would definitely point people in that direction and keep your space for you.

Christine

[clay lover]

I have students for short, project specific sets of lessons and there is a definite stopping date, definite hours and then they don't come again untill I'm ready for people in the studio and I send out a group e-mail to all who have ever participated, set the days and times and take the first 4 that e-mail me back with a committment. That way I get the good parts of having people in my home studio adn limit the bad .
And there are both. I have 2 people that will NEVER come again over the 4 years that I have been doing this, and I have many students that I truly enjoy and see for other social reasons, but I make it very clear that when they are in my studio, I am in charge of what goes on and it is a teaching -learning situation, not a group social hour. Work well for me and most of them. But am am always glad when the days for lessons are done, and the studio is once again all mine.

Something I learned from another life, always charge enough that it makes it worth it when they piss you off, cause something about the situation WILL piss you off at some point. or at the least, really inconvience you.

As to chaarging to use the studio, the closest I have come to that is offering a pre determined open studio group of days over a months time that the more experienced studion can choose to do. Then I put away things I don't want them in, limit them to certain glazes and am clear about what is offered and what is not. And I am in there working or doing mantenance when they are there. No one is ever in my studio when I am not.

I do have potter friends that have equal skills to mine that I trade with, they use my slab roller and bring me some glaze that I'm short on, that sort of thing. But it's not 'hiring out the equipment'. Not sure I would do that.

[clayshapes]

Another thing to consider when offering kiln space to friends -- don't forget that kiln elements have a relatively short life. I had a friend ask if she could fire in my kiln...and I quickly, and politely said no. I want to get the most use out of my elements before replacing them -- and once you invite a friend in, as someone else said...it might be difficult to get them out!

People who don't have their own equipment don't realize how much expense is involved in maintaining it -- not to mention the inevitable glaze drips etc. that can impact on the expense of keeping things going. I've had to replace shelves after (my own) accidents -- I wouldn't want to do that after a friend's accident! Especially considering how inconvenient my pottery supply store is -- a 40 minute drive away.

I've encouraged my friend to do what I did -- look for a good used kiln on Craigslist. Having a kiln installed, after a lot of research, isn't such a big deal. And if your friend is a beginner, like I am, a used kiln (as long as you understand how it functions, have the capacity in your electrical system and are prepared to make repairs) is the best way to go at first. I didn't want to invest in a new kiln until I was sure this was going to be a long term affair. I'm now researching my next kiln after a couple years getting to know my second hand kiln. I know better now what I'd like in a new one. It's been a good experience so far!

[JBaymore]

clayshapes, on 18 August 2012 - 10:34 AM, said:

People who don't have their own equipment don't realize how much expense is involved in maintaining it -- not to mention the inevitable glaze drips etc. that can impact on the expense of keeping things going. I've had to replace shelves after (my own) accidents -- I wouldn't want to do that after a friend's accident! Especially considering how inconvenient my pottery supply store is -- a 40 minute drive away.

Good points.

Depreciation on equipment is something also often overlooked by potters in pricing their OWN work let alone renting out use of their equipment.

That nice gas kiln costs you something for each firing well BEYOND the cost of gas, replacement of stuff like posts and shelves, and so on. It is that fact that the kiln has a FINITE number of firings in it. At some point you will have to replace it.... and not at the cost which you BOUGHT it at (or built it at), but at he NEW cost that it will require to replace it. Usually WAY higher than the original cost.

This figure should be carefully estimated and an account set up into which money is regularly deposited out of sales proceeds so that when the time arrives ..... and it will....... you HAVE the money to simply replace the unit, not be con fronted with a huge issue when you discover that you need to spend $10,000 on a new kiln.

Ditto for electric kilns.

When someone who wants to "just use your kiln" gets presented with the real costs of doing so, including factors for energy use, shelf and post wear and tear, and actual kiln depreciation/replacement costs per firing... they often lose interest quickly.

For example:

From working with dear friends in Japan who wood fire amazingly HUGE volumes of work in large wood kilns, I know that a wood kiln built out of really good quality PCE 32-34 hardbrick will need to be seriously repaired of fully replaced after about 150 cone 10-12 firings due to the deter ioration of the bricks. If a big wood kiln (like mine) costs about $40,000 to replace, (exclusive of the labor to do so) just to buy the refractories necessary is about $40,000/150 = $267.00 per firing. Add in the labor factor for the rebuilding (and not making any pots) and that figure per firing is WAY higher.... probably about $1000 per firing, at least. (More likely.) This has nothing to do with the labor coast to do tha actual firing of the kiln nor the cost of wood fuel not wear and tear on shelves and posts and such.

best,

......................john