How much should I charge?
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How much should I charge?
I'm about to make a website for my parents' subdivision. It will be easy. They don't seem to know what they want (surprise, huh?) so I'm just going to put some features on there that I think they would like, such as a forum and maybe a personal website for each household. The cool thing about this project is that a lot of people who live in this subdivision are filthy rich and own their own businesses - businesses that could use websites. Catch my drift? The only problem is I don't know what to charge.
well your "worth" is totally dependent on your experience. If I could offer any advice it would be: don't overcharge because you think they're blind to the whole web site development experience. If they are "successful" business people, they'll more than likely do some due diligence to make sure they're getting a good price for the work you do for them. If on the other hand they see this as a two-way favor, then they may not.
In any case, I think you need to come up with a fair pricing structure and don't gouge because you think they won't know the difference.
Have you done any professional web development before? If so, you should base your wage on projects you've completed in the past, if not, then I'm afraid, you're going to have to start fairly low
In any case, I think you need to come up with a fair pricing structure and don't gouge because you think they won't know the difference.
Have you done any professional web development before? If so, you should base your wage on projects you've completed in the past, if not, then I'm afraid, you're going to have to start fairly low
$14/hour.
How did I come to that amount? Pulled it out of my ass... But heres my logic:
People who do labor jobs get up to $11 an hour, so you're obviously worth more than that. $15 gets to the point where people think that its "kind of a lot." Since you aren't really experienced, you may want to start at $14. As your experience grows and you become more confident, you will be able to charge more.
How did I come to that amount? Pulled it out of my ass... But heres my logic:
People who do labor jobs get up to $11 an hour, so you're obviously worth more than that. $15 gets to the point where people think that its "kind of a lot." Since you aren't really experienced, you may want to start at $14. As your experience grows and you become more confident, you will be able to charge more.
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d3ad1ysp0rk
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I'm 18 years old, and the last freelance work I did was $75/hr. Before that, I was made roughly $40/hr and worked about 40 hours on that project.
I have two others jobs besides freelance, I work at a grocery store making $7.75 on weekends, and I work at a design/development firm making $10 after school everyday.
The reason my freelancing prices are so much higher is usually due to three things:
I have two others jobs besides freelance, I work at a grocery store making $7.75 on weekends, and I work at a design/development firm making $10 after school everyday.
The reason my freelancing prices are so much higher is usually due to three things:
- Work isn't always guarenteed, so you need to make as much as possible incase there isn't work in the near future
The people I do work for have a lot of money, and are willing to pay for a quality product they can rely on
A lot of times there are certain deadlines they need met, and I can usually make those deadlines without a problem
- John Cartwright
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What I like to do is calculate your living expenses versus the amount of hours on average your willing to work, and add a bit of comfort money.
So lets say on average I need around $40,000 (not an actual figure) a year to pay bills, so divide that by 52 weeks, divide that by the amount of hours you want to work and you'll get the minimum you want to work for. Now add whatever money you'll of want to save a year.
So in this case I need to work a minimum of $38 an hour.
So lets say on average I need around $40,000 (not an actual figure) a year to pay bills, so divide that by 52 weeks, divide that by the amount of hours you want to work and you'll get the minimum you want to work for. Now add whatever money you'll of want to save a year.
So in this case I need to work a minimum of $38 an hour.
- RobertGonzalez
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$50 per hour. You are a professional and should be compensated accordingly. Would these filthy rich people offer their time for a paltry few dollars per hour? I don't think so.
Value is the key, not price. People that understand value are more than willing to pay for it. Offer them something they can't get elsewhere. Maybe set up their domain name, hosting, design and development. That way you can be their point person for their entire web presence.
Seriously, don't sell yourself short. Be their "go-to guy" and they will be willing to pay for it. Just make sure you deliver the goods as expected.
Value is the key, not price. People that understand value are more than willing to pay for it. Offer them something they can't get elsewhere. Maybe set up their domain name, hosting, design and development. That way you can be their point person for their entire web presence.
Seriously, don't sell yourself short. Be their "go-to guy" and they will be willing to pay for it. Just make sure you deliver the goods as expected.
I'd recommend reading up on the tutorials from this sticky: viewtopic.php?t=19980
And if you know they have deep pockets... get your fair share and do not sell yourself short in order to help keep the budget lower.
And if you know they have deep pockets... get your fair share and do not sell yourself short in order to help keep the budget lower.
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yourrussianlady
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- shiznatix
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I charge per week or per project. They say what they want, I list a price. I LOVE to screw around and do work every 20 minutes out of a hour. I try not to over charge but I probably end up charging too little usually trying to just be the lowest bidder for the project (guess im a bit insecure huh?).
I think charging per hour is usually not quite that honest, USUALLY! I mean myself, when I don't have a boss hovering over my shoulder (ie, durring freelance periods) I don't work every minute of a hour. So, if I was to request per hour payment I would be ripping people off, despite popular belief I hate doing such a thing.
Lay down a base amount per project then the more that want, the more you add. Example (real life one too!)
Customer just asked me to make a website to sell French wines to Estonians. I say fine, no problem 25000eek total. He starts going on about additional things like being able to send newsletters and being able to track regular customers and possibly sending a regular customer who has not bought anything recently a email saying "buy our wines" and whatnot. Now I say, "doable, but its gonna cost you." and that makes sence. I say 25000 for a store and he wants those extra plugings, thats not part of the original deal so you tack on that extra cost for your time.
My advice, don't sell yourself for more than you know you are worth, its not honest and honesty is the best policy - expecially if you want future customers and they want a reference.
I think charging per hour is usually not quite that honest, USUALLY! I mean myself, when I don't have a boss hovering over my shoulder (ie, durring freelance periods) I don't work every minute of a hour. So, if I was to request per hour payment I would be ripping people off, despite popular belief I hate doing such a thing.
Lay down a base amount per project then the more that want, the more you add. Example (real life one too!)
Customer just asked me to make a website to sell French wines to Estonians. I say fine, no problem 25000eek total. He starts going on about additional things like being able to send newsletters and being able to track regular customers and possibly sending a regular customer who has not bought anything recently a email saying "buy our wines" and whatnot. Now I say, "doable, but its gonna cost you." and that makes sence. I say 25000 for a store and he wants those extra plugings, thats not part of the original deal so you tack on that extra cost for your time.
My advice, don't sell yourself for more than you know you are worth, its not honest and honesty is the best policy - expecially if you want future customers and they want a reference.
- AKA Panama Jack
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Actually you should probably charge a set amount for the initial site and not a per hour basis. The amount you charge is based upon the amount of work you will possibly put into it.
Then you have a base amount you charge for each family that wants a personal web area on the site.
After the base is finished then you can charge them on a per hour basis for maintenance or a set amount per feature they want added.
If you already have a set frontend and CMS backend you use that just needs to be templated then charging $1,000 for the initial setup is reasonable for the main site with a smaller amount for each household that wants their own web content.
There are many ways you can go about it after the initial workup. Different modules $200+ depending upon what they want. Maintaining the site could be charged on a monthly basis a set amount or on an hourly basis based upon how much work you put into maintaining it. The hourly rate depends upon your experience and what you think the client can pay for your services based upon your experience. That could start at $20 an hour and go up from there.
Most businesses or individuals who do this kind of work for a living aren't going to give you much information on what they charge unless you are contracting them for a job.
Then you have a base amount you charge for each family that wants a personal web area on the site.
After the base is finished then you can charge them on a per hour basis for maintenance or a set amount per feature they want added.
If you already have a set frontend and CMS backend you use that just needs to be templated then charging $1,000 for the initial setup is reasonable for the main site with a smaller amount for each household that wants their own web content.
There are many ways you can go about it after the initial workup. Different modules $200+ depending upon what they want. Maintaining the site could be charged on a monthly basis a set amount or on an hourly basis based upon how much work you put into maintaining it. The hourly rate depends upon your experience and what you think the client can pay for your services based upon your experience. That could start at $20 an hour and go up from there.
Most businesses or individuals who do this kind of work for a living aren't going to give you much information on what they charge unless you are contracting them for a job.