Hi guys. I'm starting freelance job this coming month, and I'm just beginning freelance work. I'm a pretty competent developer, that's not the issue. What is the issue is I don't know how much to charge per WordPress theme. I know the guy I'm working with wants to charge on a per part bases, not hourly. I estimate that each WordPress theme will take a week, at most, so based on this equation ($40/hr * 5hrs/day * 5days/week * 1week = $1000) I should charge $1000 per theme.
However, from your experience, what should I charge? Is $40 an hour too much? Is a week too long for a word press theme; should I have it done before then most likely? I don't want to sound unprofessional because I don't think of myself as unprofessional at all. Like I said, I know I can do the work, it's only the business side of freelancing that I'm inexperienced in.
Of course, I will be negotiating, but I need to know where to start. I need to know what's the average developer hourly salary. And I need to know how long a WordPress theme would averagely take.
Thanks guys. Please don't take long to reply because I need to get back with him by the end of the week.
Going rate for Wordpress Themes
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- John Cartwright
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Re: Going rate for Wordpress Themes
This is far from a comprehensive estimate, but if you are going to compartmentalize into weeks then...
~100k*/year / 52 weeks = ~$1900 / week
~100k*/year / 365 days = ~$275/day
*whatever your desired salary is
So I would charge him somewhere around $2k a week, plus $275 per extra day it involves.
~100k*/year / 52 weeks = ~$1900 / week
~100k*/year / 365 days = ~$275/day
*whatever your desired salary is
So I would charge him somewhere around $2k a week, plus $275 per extra day it involves.
Re: Going rate for Wordpress Themes
How long do you think it will take to develop WordPress themes? He has designers designing all of the graphics and design, while all he wants me to do is develop it into a workable theme. I want to make sure I don't overcharge if I take too long, so how long would you say it should take?
- John Cartwright
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- Posts: 11470
- Joined: Tue Dec 23, 2003 2:10 am
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Re: Going rate for Wordpress Themes
I've never developed one.. so I truly have no idea. Nor do I know how fast you can work 
My advise is to make a spreadsheet, and break down all the major features first, then subdivide each major feature to minor features. It is much easier to estimate minor features by time than it is major features, so it's just a matter of breaking things down, then adding them back up.
My advise is to make a spreadsheet, and break down all the major features first, then subdivide each major feature to minor features. It is much easier to estimate minor features by time than it is major features, so it's just a matter of breaking things down, then adding them back up.
Re: Going rate for Wordpress Themes
also keep in mind that not all customers are actually *able* to spend an amount x, even if its reasonable.
back when I was starting freelance work over 10 years ago, I was constantly moving my hourly fees back and forth (less for joe average, more for corporations) so I would actually generate enough business to make a living.
I'd start with the lowest reasonable price ($40/hour doesn't sound too bad; may even be a bit to high, depending on the customer). once you managed to establish yourself, you can raise prices and actually start turning down job offers... by now, I wouldn't even consider doing anything that has something to do with drupal/typo3/wordpress etc. but back in 2000 or so, I was making a living on that.
good luck.
back when I was starting freelance work over 10 years ago, I was constantly moving my hourly fees back and forth (less for joe average, more for corporations) so I would actually generate enough business to make a living.
I'd start with the lowest reasonable price ($40/hour doesn't sound too bad; may even be a bit to high, depending on the customer). once you managed to establish yourself, you can raise prices and actually start turning down job offers... by now, I wouldn't even consider doing anything that has something to do with drupal/typo3/wordpress etc. but back in 2000 or so, I was making a living on that.
good luck.