Are Consultants worth the Fee?

Most clients are happy to pay set fees.  On occasion I get questions as to how I set my rates or that my rate is much higher than their employees hourly rate. Here are 23 things to consider when looking at your consultant's rate:

Some Component Costs of a Consultant's Billing Rate  (taken from the American Planning Association).

1. Salaries of professional staff, secretaries, and technical aids
2. Sick leave, vacation, and holiday pay
3. Office supplies
4. Printing and copying
5. Travel (auto and other)
6. Postage, freight, overnight delivery services
7. Telephone and internet
8. Equipment purchase and/or rental
9. Office rent
10. Building and property maintenance
11. Utilities
12. Legal services
13. Accounting services
14. Technical publications
15. Newspaper and magazine subscriptions
16. Professional dues
17. Attendance at seminars and conferences
18. Group insurance
19. Insurance (unemployment, workmen's compensation, liability, fire, theft, etc.)
20. Pension expenses
21. Taxes and licenses
22. Business promotion
23. Subcontractors