Rates for As-Needed Rental

Today I went to speak with a chiropracter about renting one of his spare rooms on an as-needed basis. After chatting cordially for quite a while, he asked me what my hourly rate is, and then proposed to charge me an hourly room rental rate that comes out to about 45% of my rate. I thanked him for his time and told him I'd think it over.

Does that seem high to anyone else here? I know I'm really not interested in working my behind off to give half the money away. I worked it out, and with five hours in his office, I could pay rent and electricity for a month in my own office.

But I'd like to know everyone else's take on it. If I'm right, and that is high, then I can only conclude two possibilities: Either he's expecting me to haggle down to a mutually agreeable price, or he's decided he doesn't want me there. (If I get approached for a gig I don't want to play, I ask for an outrageous amount of money. It's easier than saying no, and sometimes it really pays off.)

Opinions, please?

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Permalink Reply by Doreen Cohanim C.Ht on August 12, 2008 at 10:02pm

Hi James,

In regards to working in a chiropractor office using his spare rooms on an as-needed basis.
It seems to me like a normal request of 45% of your rate.
Most people here charge 40% to 60%.

You will probably do better on your own but in the chiropractor office you will have more exposure to new clients.

It it all comes to what will work for me.

Respectfully, Doreen

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Permalink Reply by Nancy McCune on August 13, 2008 at 2:25am

James,
I would offer him what amounts to 20-25% of your hourly rate. Anything more than that and you can rent your own office!

I'd like to share with you my experience of having an office with a chiro... let me start off by saying that both Docs were lovely people... and due to the physical nature of their work, the temperature in the office hovered near 65 degrees. This created the need to wrap my clients in a blanket to get them into hypnosis. And somehow I could not convince them that one of them could not stand at one end of the hallway and scream at the one on the other end of the hallway. This didn't bother the client already in hypnosis, but it made me crazy!

In my experience, Chiropractic offices can be rather chaotic.

Also, do not expect any referrals. Chiropractic patients are almost invariably on insurance. In my one year in the Chiropractic office I had exactly one!

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Permalink Reply by Melissa J. Roth on August 13, 2008 at 7:11am

I think that rate is outrageous. Spare rooms should rent for what the room would rent for, not a percentage of your fee. When you go to work for a company they do not take into consideration how much money you want or think you deserve for the job to be done. They pay you what that job is worth in the open market place. They do all kinds of surveys to determine what that job is worth and regardless of what your personal overhead is they make an offer for the job based on what the job is worth. Office space is the same way.

Look in your area for an executive office set up. You can rent offices in those by the hour, day, month. Usually, you can rent an office for $25 or so and hour or $50 or so for the whole day. They are furnished professionally and provide a furnished reception room and a receptionist to greet your clients. You can pay for additional services a la carte. You can go to Home Depot or somewhere and buy a portable zero gravity recliner for $50 and you have a portable recliner for your clients to use. But, as a hypnotherapist you know your client can go just as deeply into trance in a comfortable chair as a recliner. Don't let this chiropractor rob you. He's hoping he will get clients who come to see you. And, I doubt that you would get enough referrals from him to make it worth your while to pay his rates for the room.

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Permalink Reply by Doreen Cohanim C.Ht on August 13, 2008 at 8:06am

I Mellisa,

I agree with you that it is outrageous, but this is what i learned from wanting to rent a room at some of the chiropractic, doctor offices.
That is why it is better to rent an executive office set up.
As to referrals I have to disagree with both of you, I do receive clients from an chiropractic offices around me, and they don't even ask for percentage, but if I was going to work in their office, it will be the 45% to 60% share of my paycheck which I did decliened back then years ago :) and I still get referrals to this day.
And as to getting clients while you work their in their office, It is simple, you can have your Name, your business card and your brochures in the waiting room as well...
As to this clients being on Insurance, you can still get referral and that is why the doctors want your percentage, since they can use their medical code that you don't have.

Just my two cents and from my experience...
maybe it is not worth it for you, but if you don't have enough clients that is the best place to start... remeber when you are in a medical office you have a better chance of recognition.

Respectfully, Doreen

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Permalink Reply by Richard Nongard - NLPBoard.com on August 13, 2008 at 1:21pm

I am very good fiends with a few DC's.... the above posters are correct. You won;t get many referrals. You are near Bastrop, get on the Austin craigslist and rent a shared space from some massage folks In Austin they are legit for the most part (99%) and it will be a better vibe with potential for more referrals... And such an arrangement in Austin seems to hover near the $200-250 range... Much cheaper than giving away 45%

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Permalink Reply by James Hazlerig on August 14, 2008 at 11:03am

Once again--I love this site!

The suggestion about the recliner is great--I'd never heard of them.

I doubt that Bastrop has exectuive offices to rent by the day or hour. We're kind of in the boonies. I might look into it for Austin, though. Thanks!

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Permalink Reply by Jill Bond on August 14, 2008 at 1:34pm

Wow am I ever glad you started this thread.
I am in the process of finding the same type of set up. It's in a Family wellness center...
They want 50%......
Given the advice here, I just might think not. Thanks everybody.
Peace,
Jill

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Permalink Reply by Donne on August 14, 2008 at 5:14pm

In premises where I have been ofered room space, psychologists pay $100 (AUD) a day.
I can rent space by the hour as required. (Not determined yet, but about $10 -20 )

I think he is just trying to make profit from you.

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Permalink Reply by Roxann Higuera on August 14, 2008 at 6:32pm

I guess I should consider myself lucky. I pay $20/hour for my space. My mentor didn't think I should pay more than $15, but I'm happy to not have an ongoing overhead.

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Permalink Reply by Nancy McCune on August 15, 2008 at 3:29am

I bought the name brand "La Fuma" manufactured in France several years ago. It is truly wonderful and invariably my clients say, "Do I have to get up now?"

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Permalink Reply by Kimberly Viera on August 18, 2008 at 1:21am

I own a wellness center in colorado (www.VASTWellnessCenter.com) and we rent rooms to various practitioners.

Chiropractors often enter into arangements where they are paying a percentage of their client income in addition to a rent fee to the person who owns the center. If he worked in someone else's office, the person you spoke with probably had an arrangement like this in the past and is offering the same arrangement to you. That is how he knows how to do business.

One of my renters is a Chiropractor. He charges $40 per session while I charge $100. If the situation were reversed and he rented to me, he would make more from the percentage he charged me for rent then what he could get for seeing a client.

As far as referrals, we attract very different clients. His come from the three miles around our location while mine will drive for appointments. If you are interested in pain management or sports hypnosis then teaming with a Chiropractor may be worth it but if not don't count on his foot traffic for your clients.

In Colorado you can find a room rental for $20-30/hour. A day may run you $100-150. Like Richard suggested, check Craigslist for your area and you should find many options that charge you a flat rate. I realize you are from a smaller place but you should be able to find options.

But consider actually making a committment. You are looking for a 'spare room' on an 'as-needed basis'. Remember, whoever you rent from is paying rent, too (or a mortgage). They have taken all the risk on their shoulders - have good enough credit to rent an office suite, have entered into a contract, decorate and furnish the office... They want to rent to a regular reliable person who is trying to make a business (so they will be there for a while). Renting from someone else spares you from having to do all the work.

Try renting an office 4 days per month, say... every Saturday, and you will get reasonable rent for very low risk and a good start for your business.

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Permalink Reply by Celeste Hackett, CH on August 18, 2008 at 1:46am

Wow. I can't imagine paying that much for rent! I roomed with a chiropractor/accupuncturist and I only paid $300 per month. I was there full time all day Monday through Friday. The room was not going to be used so he was happy to be making money. Ask to pay by the Month instead of by the hour or day.
I never would have made any money if I had paid the rates you guys are talking about!

Celeste