Translation pricing basics
Translations are not commodities. You are buying the time and expertise
of an individual translator or team of translators. We operate a fair
and open pricing policy. If you have any questions please call and
we'll be happy to provide you with a written quote including a full
cost breakdown.
We price each translation separately to ensure you receive the translation
which best matches your needs and budget. Several factors affect the
price you pay, each is discussed in detail below so you understand
what you are getting for your money.
Number of words/characters in the source document
The most significant factor in calculating the overall price of your
translation is the number of words or (in the case of some languages,
such as Japanese) characters in the source document. By 'source document'
we mean the document you submit for a quotation.
Prices are quoted in UK Pounds per 1000 words/characters
in the source document
Note: Unlike some companies, London Translations never
quote based on the number of words/characters in the target (or 'finished')
document and are suspicious of those who do. Why would you want to give
your supplier an incentive to produce 'sloppy', overly long winded text?
Class of translation
The class of translation requested will have a direct impact on the
price
Deadline
We can almost always meet your deadlines, no matter how demanding.
To accommodate urgent requirements it is sometimes necessary to
work weekends or split jobs between several translators and recombine
the finished document (under the watchful eye of an experienced lead
translator). Premium time and extra resources cost us extra which
we must pass on to you. Conversely, less urgent assignments may attract
lower charges in return for flexible deadlines.
Format of the source documents
The format in which you supply the source document greatly affects
the time required to produce your translation and hence the price.
For instance, it is often quicker and easier for us to work with Word
for Windows files than difficult-to-read hand written documents or
faxes.
Format of the finished documents
We can supply documents as standard computer files and regular hard-copy
quickly, easily and therefore at no additional cost. However, if you
need your document to be returned on film or bromide (sometimes required
for publication), we have to charge extra to cover the extra time
and materials required. Similarly, converting the finished document
into unusual or multiple file formats requires extra time and use
of specialist software thus increasing the price.
Deadlines
We can almost always meet your deadlines, no matter how demanding.
To accommodate urgent requirements it is sometimes necessary to
work weekends or split jobs between several translators and recombine
the finished document (under the watchful eye of an experienced lead
translator). Premium time and extra resources cost us extra which
we must pass on to you. Conversely, less urgent assignments may attract
lower charges in return for flexible deadlines.
Language pairs to be translated
The laws of supply and demand dictate that certain language pairs
command a premium over others. For example, it is not surprising that
English to French is likely to be cheaper than, say, Chinese to English.
London Translations' source the most competitive quote from its huge
database of translators on an individual assignment by assignment
basis.
Complexity & level of specialist knowledge
required
Experts command a premium for their services. Complex technical,
medical and legal documents are likely to be more expensive than,
say, general business correspondence. For this reason, we always ask
to see a sample of the document before quoting a price. In this way
we are able to assign a translator with the appropriate level of expertise
at a fair price for the class of translation you have requested.
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