What should I charge to help assist a Network Crossover?
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@Hubtech said:
Who are you? what is your experience level? Where are you? I'd think more around 125-150/hr depending on your answer to those questions. if you're note sure of the environment you'll be migrating from....it could be a nightmare
Hello Hubtech. Without hearing your tone, your reply started off a bit condescending. However, to answer your question, I am who I say I am. My name is listed under my pic. I'm Mr. Wright. My level of experience is 8yrs deep and growing. I'm asking about prices because I'm starting off new with my own contracting company. I've always worked for someone else and never had to worry about coming up with pricing. With that said, I don't see how asking "who am I" is relevant. Now experience level and my location I understand. I don't care if I was Mighty Mouse. As long as I have the experience it shouldn't matter. This site, from what I understood, is to help aid others without making them feel more ignorant than what they are. If you find any of my questions insulting to your tech intelligence then, by all means, click away.
Now speaking to the part that actually answer my question, thank you. -
@JaredBusch said:
I never give anyone less than $120 for a one time job.
If a client signs a consulting agreement for more long term support I will cut the they rate based on the hours I expect to average from them. I still never go under $90.
Thank you Jared for your feed back. I agree with both of you gentlemen.
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I ask because I do not know who you are. If you're currently working for a company who does what you intend to do, you could use that as a launch point. Jared's numbers look good to me! but who am i.
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@Hubtech said:
I ask because I do not know who you are. If you're currently working for a company who does what you intend to do, you could use that as a launch point. Jared's numbers look good to me! but who am i.
Thank you for clarifying that Hubtech. I see your point. Now to answer who you are, I consider anyone associated with this site as someone special and with great knowledge. That's why I come to you as if you're my tech family, likewise if I have the knowledge about something I share it. Once again Hubtech, my new special friend, thank you for your suggestion.
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@MrWright4hire said:
I consider anyone associated with this site as someone special and with great knowledge.
Should I (personally) disappoint you now, or later? :bowtie:
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Oh most everyone around here is "Special".
When we (NTG) do a job like this that is a one time thing. Our rates are based on a hourly prepaid block of hours. The larger the hour block they purchase the cheaper it gets. Our bottom rate is $150/hour. If they are looking of a long term contract than the bottom rate is more like $100/hour.
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same here. 150/hr for pure hourly. I don't sell blocks, but if a client bills regularly, I give them a discount 125-100.
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Matt why are you too crazy!! lol!!
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@Minion-Queen said:
Oh most everyone around here is "Special".
When we (NTG) do a job like this that is a one time thing. Our rates are based on a hourly prepaid block of hours. The larger the hour block they purchase the cheaper it gets. Our bottom rate is $150/hour. If they are looking of a long term contract than the bottom rate is more like $100/hour.
Hello M. Queen. As a company you may be able to justify $150/hr due to overhead cost. However, as an individual, I don't have to pay employees, vehicles...etc. I just quoted him $80/hr. He was fine with that. As I grow, pray for me, I may have to bump up the price.
Does that make sense? If there is something I'm missing, please do educate me. -
@MrWright4hire said:
Hello M. Queen. As a company you may be able to justify $150/hr due to overhead cost. However, as an individual, I don't have to pay employees, vehicles...etc. I just quoted him $80/hr. He was fine with that. As I grow, pray for me, I may have to bump up the price.
Does that make sense? If there is something I'm missing, please do educate me.That does not make sense. If you are planning on growing a business and client base. Starting out prices low just causes headaches later when everyone expects you to do the service at the same price. getting a client just because you have the lowest rate is never a good business decision, in fact you will only get the bad clients that no one wants that way. Even if you don't own a business yet you should calculate in potential overhead costs. Also when doing this stuff it's a good idea to have some sort of business licenses (LLC or S Corp or C Corp) and liability insurance.
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@thecreativeone91 said:
Also when doing this stuff it's a good idea to have some sort of business licenses (LLC or S Corp or C Corp) and liability insurance.
^^ Very good advice, especially when you're new and taking on the.... "special"... clients no one else wants heheh
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True that you don't have the same overhead that a bigger company may have. But are there are questions you should ask yourself when you start out. This is copied an pasted from about 100000 other posts to questions like this:
- Use the Rule of Thirds when figuring out pricing: 1/3 for you 1/3 for overhead and a 1/3 for later.
- Look at market value for other similar businesses in you area (what are they charging)
- Price for Marketing value to what the businesses in your area need
- Do you want to actually keep your customers? Then price yourself for the kinds of customers you want to have not the ones you do have. (customers actually believe that a higher paid person is better at their job, stupid yes but true)
- DO NOT UNDERVALUE YOURSELF
- DO NOT OVERSELL YOURSELF
- PROTECT YOURSELF- get an accountant (at least consult with one every couple years), get a Lawyer use them to write your contracts, and become an LLC or a Corporation to protect your personal assets.
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@MrWright4hire said:
@thecreativeone91
I agree, but how much would you charge per hour? I'm thinking $80.That's way below GeekSquad bench (non-IT) rates. No IT hourly work should be below $110 - 125/hr. If you fall below that you are falling below industry minimums. Anything below $110/hr in the US or Canada and you are into seriously devaluing yourself.
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@MrWright4hire said:
@Minion-Queen said:
Oh most everyone around here is "Special".
When we (NTG) do a job like this that is a one time thing. Our rates are based on a hourly prepaid block of hours. The larger the hour block they purchase the cheaper it gets. Our bottom rate is $150/hour. If they are looking of a long term contract than the bottom rate is more like $100/hour.
Hello M. Queen. As a company you may be able to justify $150/hr due to overhead cost. However, as an individual, I don't have to pay employees, vehicles...etc. I just quoted him $80/hr. He was fine with that. As I grow, pray for me, I may have to bump up the price.
Does that make sense? If there is something I'm missing, please do educate me.No, does not make sense. You have it backwards. As you are not a company you have MORE costs. You have an employee to pay, you. What $80/hr says is that you are only charging for the overhead and doing the work for free - you don't value your own professional time. As a company we are more efficient with the "overhead" being handled by full time billing and project professionals and the IT work being done by people specialized in that specific work. If it is entry level work and a company can use an entry level resource, the company can do the work cheaper. As an individual, you cannot. You can only get cheaper by devaluing yourself.
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Also, when doing work as a company there is protection - lawyers, accountants, tax professionals, incorporation and other mechanisms. As an individual you take on much more risk. You lack the mechanisms and resources to protect yourself. You need to charge far more to make up for this.
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Just did the currency conversion, yeah the $80 is insanely cheap. I'd go bust at that. Mine is $130 for comparison as standard, discounted if it's bulk hours project work but for a one hour drop in and fix something it's $130.
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To help you out, because I'm in the exact same boat.
My process for any job/task is a spread-sheet with macros, the fields are.
Freelancer cost (Am I paying someone else)
Travel Costs
Misc Costs
My cost of time per hour
Hours needed
Current costs
Sale Price
Gross profit
Minus overhead percentage costs
Minus unforseen expense costs
Minus tax
= Net Profit.It does the hard work for me, I just need to get the figures correctly, then I can price up an entire project.
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@Breffni-Potter said:
Freelancer cost (Am I paying someone else)
Just be sure to include yourself here if you are the one doing the physical work. Never treat yourself as a "free" resource or that is exactly what you become.
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@scottalanmiller - Note the bit about your time per hour above, I treat freelancers/consultants as one cost, my time as another.
Now your time per hour WILL be higher than the actual hours worked. So do include the cost of that.
Also include buffer time for when it hits the fan. When it does not hit the fan you have some cash-flow for when times are tough, It also means that if you need to work extra hours because you screwed up, or call in another freelancer, the sting is not as big as it could be.
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Nearly every IT pro who does the "testing the waters" of consulting on their own has this feeling like the cost of consulting is too high and fears that they are asking a ridiculous amount for themselves and ends up doing the IT work for free at first. If you do, those customers are lost. No customer who gets work from you for free is going to understand when you attempt to make the leap to a paid resource and you won't be able to afford to keep servicing them.
Remember that in a normal company your salary is less than half of your costs. They have to pay your taxes, HR, payroll, insurance, legal, ancillary support, real estate and more for you.
