Developing a Windows Application - How much per hour?
Discussion
I am looking to build a Windows app and have spoken to a number of freelance developers who are looking to take up the post. Unlike previous projects this one is outside my personal skill set so I am unsure of how to work time frames etc. I would also like the developer to work inside my office as it will bring more piece of mind as I can monitor his work during working hours.
The 3 main candidates have all asked for between £15-20 an hour which is far more than I would pay a PHP or web developer. Would you think this is a fair price for a long term project or should I be trying to reduce the fees and if so by how much.
The app I am looking to develop is Epos based so it's not rocket science, any feedback would be appreciated.
The 3 main candidates have all asked for between £15-20 an hour which is far more than I would pay a PHP or web developer. Would you think this is a fair price for a long term project or should I be trying to reduce the fees and if so by how much.
The app I am looking to develop is Epos based so it's not rocket science, any feedback would be appreciated.
Just to clarify - are we talking about bona-fida contractors working through a Ltd or umbrella, or are we talking about some recently redundant desperate permie?
There are certainly contractors who have been benched for a while that would work for that little, but I think that most decent ones are managing to hold their rates considerably higher than that.
I would look very closely as to why they were charging so little.
Look at their freelancing history, lots of short contracts is a bad sign.
I'd also be worried about permies gone freelance. The culling in the IT industry is nowhere near as bad as 2003, more than a few companies are using the recession as an excuse to trim a bit of dead wood. This by no means applys to all though.
If you don't mind me asking how have you found these guys?
There are certainly contractors who have been benched for a while that would work for that little, but I think that most decent ones are managing to hold their rates considerably higher than that.
I would look very closely as to why they were charging so little.
Look at their freelancing history, lots of short contracts is a bad sign.
I'd also be worried about permies gone freelance. The culling in the IT industry is nowhere near as bad as 2003, more than a few companies are using the recession as an excuse to trim a bit of dead wood. This by no means applys to all though.
If you don't mind me asking how have you found these guys?
If you want a code monkey then I can envisage double that (assuming you have full specs 100% complete with all problems already solved), if you want someone capable of thinking for themselves and delivering a product that you want by asking the right questions and figuring out a worthwhile solution then I would look at 3/4 times that.
I don't know where you're based but in London (and it's "surrounds" - Bucks, Berks, Hampshire etc) I would expect you to be getting a graduate with very little experience for £15ph (this is data-monkey/help-desk phone operator money). Double it and you'll probably get (outside of London) someone who knows what they're doing, can work from a fag-packet spec and even suggest things you may not have thought of, build you a stable and scaleable product and not f
k off half-way through the development.
What language are you writing it in, by the way.
Also, I wrote the EPOS system we use at my pub (in VB6) so I may be able to help you out with your requirements/candidate selection/etc. PM me if you like.
k off half-way through the development.What language are you writing it in, by the way.
Also, I wrote the EPOS system we use at my pub (in VB6) so I may be able to help you out with your requirements/candidate selection/etc. PM me if you like.
What language is the development in and what other skills do they need?
As its EPOS at a guess there must be some networking code plus some sort of database work involved on top of C/C++/VB.
I know times are tough and there's talk of employers cutting rates etc but when I got out of contracts about five years back the rates were 50-60/hour for people who knew what they were doing with those sorts of skills!
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