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Average Cost for Programming Services
Posted: Wed Sep 20, 2006 8:36 am
by kendall
Hello guys,
I am from the caribbean and I consider myself an apt PHP/ MYSQL programmer. I also have good knowledge in XML/XSL
I am not certified in this field but i am experienced at what i do.
I charge between 5000-7000 to do custom dynamic content applications such as what is done for
http://www.cre-ole.com and
this
What is the average cost that you guys charge based on your skill/ qualification to do stuff like the samples i have shown?
The rate of exchange is 6:1 U.S.
Kendall
Posted: Wed Sep 20, 2006 10:28 am
by Luke
$100/hr
Posted: Wed Sep 20, 2006 10:33 am
by kendall
Hmmm,
How long does it take for you guys? I try not to reall base my costs on time but by the amount of work to be done...i mean i do consider time...but it not the deciding factor.
Kendall
Posted: Wed Sep 20, 2006 11:02 am
by RobertGonzalez
I usually charge between $60 to $90 (USD) per hour, billable in six minute chunks (tenths of an hour). I make my quotes based on the number of whole hours I think it will take and I try to stay at or under that.
As for how long it takes, that depends on what is being done.
Posted: Wed Sep 20, 2006 4:05 pm
by jwalsh
Our rates:
Development at $85/hr
Database Design & Systems Analysis: $125/hr
Real-Time Mission Critical Systems: $200/hr
Your rates should be calculated based on demand. Your demand will be calculated based on experience, professionalism, quality, and of course marketability.
Posted: Wed Sep 20, 2006 5:10 pm
by feyd
See signature.
Oh, and moved to Enterprise.
Posted: Wed Sep 20, 2006 5:39 pm
by onion2k
I charge £600 (about US$1000) per day. I charge per half day. I think I'm undercharging because I'm always snowed under with work..
Posted: Wed Sep 20, 2006 7:38 pm
by kendall
Ok...well if there was a way or some website maybe that can give me like a benchmark/ analysis of how much i should be charging based on my skill, effeciency and proficiency
Posted: Wed Sep 20, 2006 11:50 pm
by RobertGonzalez
Charge what you feel comfortable charging. If you are worth $20 per hour, charge that. If you are worth more, charge more. That is really up to you and the market you are coding in.
Posted: Thu Sep 21, 2006 12:44 am
by alex.barylski
Someone must send me a client list willing to pay 50USD+
No one around here(Winnipeg), thats for sure...I'm available 24hours a day/7 days a week and when i'm not programming...I can usually be found ummmm well....programming
No wonder everyone I know - upon graduation thinks they'll just move state side. How much do doctors/lawyers make where you guys are?
Thats not being very competitive, considering outsourcing to India is a fraction of the cost, even if your dealing with people with Masters degrees in computer science...
Hmmmm...maybe I should start asking for much more than I do right now...make as much money as I can before it's too late
Crazy...seriously...someone needs to hook me up...I can't even fathom working for as much as you all seem to suggest is possible, but I'd certainly like to try...so unless your bluffing for the sake of job protection, someone find me a client willing to pay top dollar...please
I could use it more than anything

Posted: Thu Sep 21, 2006 3:51 am
by CoderGoblin
Comparing prices between different locations is not really applicable in your case. Exchange rates are one thing but you also need to take into account things like cost of living etc. The market is the key factor. You need to look at what other people are charging near you.
Posted: Thu Sep 21, 2006 4:07 am
by onion2k
CoderGoblin wrote:Comparing prices between different locations is not really applicable in your case. Exchange rates are one thing but you also need to take into account things like cost of living etc. The market is the key factor. You need to look at what other people are charging near you.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purchasing_power_parity
Posted: Thu Sep 21, 2006 4:31 am
by CoderGoblin
Nice link... I'm always amazed at the informational links people know about.
Posted: Thu Sep 21, 2006 8:45 am
by kendall
Well my costings have come under question by a consultant whose job title is "quality assurance" manager. I have been asked to give reasons for the rates i charge and have been compared against local companies whose staff has more "qualified/ certified" experience in the field (ASP/ Miscrosoft/ Oracle type dudes). I have been explaining that my technology "PHP/ MySQL" while isnt the only solution... for me it has given me a more economical approach. When asked about its "certification/ credentials" I could not really give an explanation (Its not like i got a college degree in PHP...i read books

) but stated it was a choice given the fact that it was more economical to use and even learn. AS such i said the accomplishments of task using it can be at a standard parralell to that of other leading solutions. But i told them my basis for my rates are characterised by my knowldege and profeciency and taking that into account i have pinned it up against U.S. based prices and pinned also my skills and training wit that of people such as yourself. Somtimes i think i am charging too much as i have NO kind of certification in any IT fields. But my experience and knowldege has been constantly updated and harnessed and i believe that this should account for something. Then of course theres the rate of currency exchange
Posted: Thu Sep 21, 2006 10:38 am
by RobertGonzalez
Good answers to hard questions will always get you more money.
nekdall wrote:I have been asked to give reasons for the rates i charge and have been compared against local companies whose staff has more "qualified/ certified" experience in the field (ASP/ Miscrosoft/ Oracle type dudes)
When comparing technologies and fields it is important to take into consideration the overall scope of the technology in use. ASP/Microsoft/Oracle developers typically have some form of certification readily available to students and professional programmers, sometimes even being part of university level educational tracks. The platforms they work on are usually proprietary in nature and require exhaustive, restrictive and expensive licenses. And while they are very common and widely used, they are still not very open and are even less extensible.
The technologies that I employ, on the other hand, are often free or have low cost licenses. The community support for the technologies is also often free and very consise. In fact, I am a contributing member to several open source development communities including the PHP Developers Network. Additionally I have enterprise level experience in several areas of development, including UI design, interfaces, database schemas, business rules development in addition to web application development expertise. I am also experienced at setting up the technologies I use from the ground up, so by the end of this meeting I could feasibly have a complete server architecture installed on a fresh computer, including a web server, a server-side application parsing engine and a database server. All for no cost. And all as secure as the technologies those other guys use. So why wouldn't you want to save money?