How much does it cost? As you can imagine, there is no fixed price tag we can attach to this service, as there are a few things to consider, but we will try to make it as clear as possible.
Word count
We calculate the price of a translation project according to the number of words in the source document (on a per 1,000 words basis), which means you will know exactly how much it will cost before you start. However, small projects incur a minimum charge which also depends on the language combination (see below).
Subject matter
The more technical and specialised the text is, the more it will cost. It is one thing to translate a letter of complaint and a totally different matter to translate a biochemistry textbook.
Language combination
A translation from English into Yoruba will certainly have a higher translation fee than a similar project from English into French.
Formatting
While we can work with any format, we prefer editable documents in which our translators can easily replace the original text with the translated version, thus keeping the same style and layout as the original. If your document is a picture or a scanned .pdf, then extra time is needed to either convert the files into an editable format or to mimic the layout, therefore a surcharge may be applied, which also depends on the quality of the picture or scanned documents. But don’t worry, we would still let you know in advance how much that would cost, there will be no surprises at the end.
Turnaround
Rush jobs may incur surcharges, that’s why it is advisable to allow enough time for your translation. We normally calculate 1,500-2,000 words per day, but that doesn’t mean we cannot meet tight deadlines if necessary. But this may be charged extra, depending on the volume and deadline. Again, we would tell you how much the translation will cost before we start the project.
Proofreading
If your materials are destined for publishing, then we strongly recommend you opt for proofreading of the translated documents. While our translators proofread their own work and they are again checked in-house, an extra pair of eyes can often spot details that may have been missed previously. Adding proofreading will increase the cost of the translation.
We hope the information provided helps, but if you have any questions at all or would like a quote on your upcoming project, please do not hesitate to get in touch by phone on +44 (0)20 8 902 6802 or using our contact form