Re: Freelance programming
Re: Freelance programming
- Subject: Re: Freelance programming
- From: Scott Ellsworth <email@hidden>
- Date: Tue, 4 Nov 2003 14:26:43 -0800
On Oct 30, 2003, at 11:30 PM, Jacob Chapa wrote:
Im looking to do some freelance programming work, in cocoa and
actionScript for a company. I am new to the whole freelance thing, and
want to know some 'aboutish' fees that you guys charge. not super
professional, just the regular freelance joe. if you know what i mean.
I have been working for a biotech consulting firm for the last four
years. We typically bill out at $80 to $150 an hour. When pricing my
own services, I bill out at $125 an hour, assuming telecommuting,
roughly one day a week spent at the client site in meetings,
environment supplied by me, but project-specific materials invoiced to
them. I bill time and materials typically, as that is the cheapest way
for them to get what they need done, and it lets them change their
minds if they need to, without causing the whole project to fail.
I have also bid out flat rate projects, but this has its risks. The
biggest one, of course, comes when the client wants to change the
scope, but not the size of the payment. This can usually be
negotiated, but you must be alert to it, and as up front as possible
about what a proposed change will cost.
A good middle ground is a milestone-based system where deliverables are
very well specified, but where you have a break between major
milestones for them to evaluate and change the spec on future
deliverables. (The ideal size of a chunk appears to be two weeks to a
month of work.)
Also, do be aware that some clients take a long time to pay. Net30
usually means not getting paid until as much as two months after doing
the work, and you will occasionally run into serious delays. We had a
client fire their bookkeeper, move buildings, and restructure in the
same month, and that caused a stir.
This is no big problem if you are aware of it, as most clients _do_
eventually send in the check, but you must be able to survive the
intermediate time, and you must decide how to handle it when they get
behind. There is, after all, the chance that they will run out of
cash, go belly up, or get get sold a month after you submit an invoice
for a month's worth of work. It happens rarely, but it can be a
shocker.
That said, keep perspective. You do not want to get more aggressive
than the situation warrants, as most clients do pay their bills.
Walking off the job in a snit is a great way to get a bad rep as a
consultant. We often get called in to fix problems when the last guy
vanished with the project undone. We then must contend both with a
tight deadline and management who has been burned by the last group to
try it. Top of our list is not trying to vilify anyone, as it has been
our experience that people usually just want to get their jobs done,
once the trust level is up.
Be aware that there is no such thing as a "regular freelance joe" in
the mind of your customers. They are likely skittish about
outsourcing, and want nothing but the best. Part of the job is
convincing them that you are the best option they have based on what
you know and what they want. To project that, listen carefully to what
they want. Perhaps more important, make sure you can deliver what you
promise, as the contracting world is small. If you are not the right
man for the job, try to know someone who might be. What goes around
will come around.
For example, a client has asked me if I know any VB programmers who
want to do application support. I am not interested in that work in an
entry level salaried position, but I have a few friends who are. If
one of them works out, great. A client is happy and I have either paid
back or earned a favor. If not, no hard feelings.
Contract work can be a lot of fun, and you learn a lot, but go into it
with your eyes open. Make sure that the high points are things that
make you happy, and that the lows are not something you will find too
unsettling.
(Obligatory self promotion: my dance card has some openings early next
year; drop me a line if you need what I/we do.)
Scott
email@hidden
www.alodar.com
Java, Cocoa, WebObjects and database consulting
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