how much should this cost?

[MetallicaD]

What are the guidelines for determining how much a project is worth... # of lines of code, time to complete the project, complexity.. what??

I just did a project that had over 10,000 and utilized automation and database warehousing. I feel I am getting shafted and want to know what to gauge my work against.

Thanks
-matt

[Jethro]

Generally number of hours involved. What is your normal hourly rate, how much total time did you spend on it.

Time x Rate = Actual Charge.

Compare to what you recieved to see if you were shafted. Include testing, analysis, help systems, and training. We have generally found that it's the help systems and training which turn a project into a loss making proposition.

Hope that helps.

[MetallicaD]

Thanks Jethro, you do some good math... jk

How can you really quantify hours if you are constantly brainstorming a project? I mean, i would come up with ideas in the middle of the night while i was sleeping, wake up and put them on paper. How do you charge for that?

Thanks for the reply
-Matt

[Jethro]

Depends on your development life cycle.

For any client we do

1. Preliminary Survey <- free of charge, basically definning what they want, and setting out a cost for the Detailed Analysis

2. Detailed Analysis <- Chargable, detail definition of business problem and solution. Involves giving a document outlining what the client will end up with and the cost for it. We get the client to sign off on it.

3. Actual Coding <- normally bill monthly unless fixed priced. Do not deviate from Detailed Specification.

4. Help Systems and Training <- Yawn

5. Client Requested Changes <- these are outside the original spec, and are down at a hourly rate.

You need to fix in stone what you are going to do. If you don't you will lose a heap of money. It is impossible to hit a moving target.

Have just finished a spell checker program for a 16 bit installation , (fixed priced three months). Am now doing a further three months of client requested changes. These are charged at an hourly rate

[Skitchen8]

Less than microsoft would charge for the same amount of work

[unformed]

what i'd base it on:

1) How difficult was it to conceive and write? More difficult = higher price.
2) What are your competitors' prices? You don't want to charge more than your competitors' prices unless your program is obviously much more superior.
3) Who are you selling to? If your selling to home users you can't charge much more than $20, if there's competitors, and no more than $60 about 99% of the time. If you're selling to companies, rip them off for all they're worth; they can afford it.
4) How much does it actually matter to you? If you have another well-paying job and you code (on the side) as a hobby, release it for free. The satisfaction of other people downloading your program is exhilarating. I wrote some things years ago, and haven't updated them since, yet still I get hits on my site for it, and every once in a while, I get an email regarding it. As corny as it sounds, it feels really good, and even more so when the program is free...

[jenk]

Hi,
I would have a basic rate (say £15 min) per hour. This is
resonable...
Stick to your min amount even if your freind / client disagrees
- tell them your time is worth money and I they don't like it
tough!!

For a client, + project type ask for more if its in your spare time
again - stick to your min amount .

This way you don't waste your time or theirs....

[Skitchen8]

hey, who decided to bring this thread up from the depths

[MetallicaD]

hey, who decided to bring this thread up from the depths

Not I Skitchen8!.. thanks everyone for your input on this subject!!

-Matt