How much would you charge?

General (non-technical) Off-Topic
#1

Hello I been programming with Corona for over a year now and I mostly worked on my own games, recently I got a client wants his website turned into an app and I have no idea how much to charge. I live in Las Vegas NV and I did my research and it seems most developers and company charge by hours and some can be very expensive just like any business. The website is mostly about home builders it shows floor plans / blue prints, different companies and there contact info, home designs, videos of the houses, gallery ect. Any advice is greatly appreciated on how much this type of project would cost hes Aiming for the IOS devices and possibly Android afterwards.

Thanks in advance,
Chris L. [import]uid: 30314 topic_id: 25352 reply_id: 325352[/import]

#2

Moved to Off Topic. (MarketPlace is more for selling and less for discussion ;)) [import]uid: 52491 topic_id: 25352 reply_id: 102386[/import]

#3

You know: if it is a web site and it does not use ridiculous sized images, its already ‘an iPad or iPhone app’.
All they have to do is make the web link into a link on the home page: a ‘web app’

Unless they want it turned into an eBook or something, getting you to make an actual app from the site is a vey bad move for them.

a) It will cost them lots of money
b) They lose the freedom to update the site on demand

What would an app add to the functionality, other than being in the App Store and discoverable there? [import]uid: 108660 topic_id: 25352 reply_id: 102399[/import]

#4

I dont know anything about Corona yet but I think Jeff472is right. If the page doesnt fit properly on a smaller screen why not make a mobile version? That will probably be the simplest way and would probably cover more phones.

Edit: I forgot some CMS can convert the page to mobile themselves with an addon. I believe wordpress does it if you enable it without an addon at all. Is he using a CMS? [import]uid: 143556 topic_id: 25352 reply_id: 102432[/import]

#5

A mobile version of their website would make more sense than an app. [import]uid: 19626 topic_id: 25352 reply_id: 102440[/import]

#6

if it was me I would certainly not assume that I am smarter than the client and if he wants an app he has already thought well about it and I would just deliver an app.

You should evaluate the work to be done by collecting more informations : will the app connect to an existing database? will you provide an interface for the client to update online some parameters of this app (so he doesn’t need you to update the app and submit to Apple), will your app provide a map system (detect gps position and provide directions to the closest company), coupon system or not depending on the project, custom news (that are not taken from the rss feed of the website), customer surveys, etc…
will he need you to update the app regularly (ex : chrstmas campaign, etc), can you quote a yearly maintenance fee, etc etc

Depending on his needs, the price can double.
Most of the time per hour is good if you can price your work well (NOT cheap), because clients tend to think that you are extra flexible and will ask for more and more changes when they pay a fixed price.

hope it helps [import]uid: 95346 topic_id: 25352 reply_id: 102447[/import]

#7

Good point MrMells, he didnt ask what we thought was better but how to bill for it. My bad. When I do a website I always do a quote based upon how much time I think it will take and my hourly charge. Ive done enough sites to know now how long each will take. At the beginning though it was difficult because I had nothing to base it on. Leiva you have done apps before so you have a guess.

MrMells is on the ball again. get a great big list of all the features he wants and figure out how much time you think each one will take. Then multiply it by what you think you should make an hour. I charge 55 personnally. That way he can decide on certain features if the price is too steep. The hard part is when your learning something new. Like can you really charge him an extra 10 hours of time just because you have to learn how to implement the feature? sure you can. just let him see how expensive it is. Some of you guys may laugh but I am honest with people and tell them if its a new feature for me to learn when doing PHP.

just my opinion. What does a programmer make in the states? oh yes make sure you tell him the rate for updating too. because he will be calling time to time. you can even institute a monthly charge and have a couple hours a month that go with it. all up to you. [import]uid: 143556 topic_id: 25352 reply_id: 102491[/import]

#8

I have seen rates range from:
$20/h for outsource to india/china over elance.com
$200+/h for highend app development consultants in Los Angeles / New York

Charge what your time is worth to you and what they will pay. [import]uid: 110373 topic_id: 25352 reply_id: 102494[/import]

#9

This isn’t about what to charge but advice not to go too cheap, I have had people tell me (and heard of them telling others) that they wouldn’t hire anyone who charged less than $50 per hour because they seem unprofessional. [import]uid: 52491 topic_id: 25352 reply_id: 102505[/import]

#10

Oh yes this is very important when billing by the hour. At the end of everyday fill out a spreadsheet or logbook that shows how many hours you worked during the day and what you did. Even if you tell him 160 hours still do this because not only does it make you look much more professional when you can show it to him but later on you can use it to gauge how long the next app will take. Of course if you have to go over you also have it to show what youve already done so he knows you havent been surfing the internet. I personally wouldnt charge for anything over unless something major screws up or if he decides he wants a huge new feature. Do timelogs though, they can save your bacon when push comes to shove Its called due dilegence. hah [import]uid: 143556 topic_id: 25352 reply_id: 102522[/import]

#11

Bidding for jobs is always hard. You don’t want to overbid and loose the job, but you don’t want to under bid either which causes two problems.

  1. You are not earning the value you deserve. You will get frustrated because you’re putting more effort in than you’re getting paid for. You will feel like you’re being abused. And more importantly you’re not going to be able to pay the bills.
  2. You devalue the profession as a whole. This has been a problem in photography for a long time but with the advent of really good digital cameras, the career of professional photographer is all but gone. Only a few people are able to succeed and command the dollars that our craft deserves. If you get to bid on a website and charge $200 for it when the going rate is $2000 (for a website of X complexity), those who are trying to make a living on websites get harmed by low-balling. App development is no different.

In photography, there are a couple of websites and spreadsheet calculators that help you understand how much money you need to make to cover your expenses and make a basic profit.

http://www.nppa.org/professional_development/business_practices/cdb/

While there are plenty of photo specific things in the calculator, you can use the same principle (and many of the expenses are the same between the two) and come up with a base amount you need to make. This could give you a good starting point.

Now for me, I use three separate models for pricing:

  1. One-off jobs. These are one time jobs that are likely to not come back for a couple of years.
  2. Low volume/short. Jobs that re-occur.
  3. High volume reoccurring work.
    I price #1 much higher than I do #3 because I can count on #3 for steady income.

[import]uid: 19626 topic_id: 25352 reply_id: 102541[/import]

#12

@Mike V - just press the “save” button once; it creates double posts otherwise :wink: (Deleted the 2nd post.) [import]uid: 52491 topic_id: 25352 reply_id: 102546[/import]

#13

Oh. I get impatient I guess. I thought I had missed the button cause she werent moving. I will keep an eye on doing that again. Thank you much Peach! [import]uid: 143556 topic_id: 25352 reply_id: 102549[/import]

#14

I appreciate everyones response honestly I dont really have a clue on how much to charge I usually work on my own work never took on clients work. Right now all he keeps telling me is he wants to make his website mobile for Apple/Android I dont think he wants to add “extra” features but he did ask me if I can think of any way make it better quote him on that too.

@ jeff472

Regarding what Jeff said " All they have to do is make the web link into a link on the home page: a ‘web app’ " Wouldnt you need internet to view the website when you launch the app since you are connecting to a website link? I would assume if its build as an app just like a game app you can view it off-line. I mean I know adding a line a code to the app to connect to website as soon as its launch is the same as opening up Safari and typing the website right?

Thanks to everyone for your thoughts and suggestions [import]uid: 30314 topic_id: 25352 reply_id: 102595[/import]

#15

@LeivaGames You may need to ask yourself if this is even a job that’s worth taking on. You don’t have the full specifications and it sounds like the client doesn’t know what they want. It’s always perfectly okay to say that you’re not able to take the project on at the moment.

If you’re not certain that you can work this out to your benefit and if the client ends up not happy, it could damage your chances for work with other clients.

Without knowing the industry and it’s needs it will be hard to be successful. [import]uid: 19626 topic_id: 25352 reply_id: 102596[/import]

#16

@ robmiracle

Thanks for your advice, When I started learning corona my intentions were to create games which now im capable of doing but regarding business apps such as websites I never tried but I did look over the website and its nothing “special” it has no forums / no log ins / no membership ect. So turning it into an app shouldnt be too hard sounds easier then the E-book im working on. The reason I asked the above question is if its easier for me to launch the website when you launch the app and it will work for my client then id take that route. But I guess ill mess around and see if its what me and him want if not then ill just turn it into an app. [import]uid: 30314 topic_id: 25352 reply_id: 102597[/import]

#17

If the client doesn’t know much, you might be losing your time…
it’s time to talk about pricing with him to know if he has a good understanding of the value and price of your work.
Has he already worked with a developer? Does he know that $10/hour is not possible (you would be surprised that some of them don’t)?

What I would do, make a proposal with 3 levels of value :

  1. Basic : App version of his website (offline) .
    Evaluate the average number it would take you to do it.
    Multiply by the average rate by hour in your industry.
    Multiply by 1.3 (to prevent happenings and troubles coming from the client, also some days you will be sick, or your drive will fail etc)

  2. Advanced : App version + enhancements
    Take a day to write things on paper, if it was your app and your business what would you add?
    New pricing structure (obviously higher than the basic)
    This is the nice spot : more revenue than basic, but you don’t take the risk to implement things that are too hard for your current level compared to the premium version.

  3. Premium : An App that bring much value to the business and extends the service that your client provides
    Include everything that a client could dream of. Price it expensive.
    Most clients will dream about it, but can’t afford it. So they will choose the “Advanced version” and find its price not so expensive, finally. That’s what you wanted.

If he chooses the premium version? -> Find reliable and specialists contractors that will be able to do the job for you. Your client is happy, you are, and you will also give some work and revenue to someone.

That is value multiplication.
It’s always a good strategy to offer choice to a client. To give him the feeling that he is making a smart decision and this is a way for him to confirm his intentions. [import]uid: 95346 topic_id: 25352 reply_id: 102599[/import]

#18

Thanks Mr.Mells sounds like a good way to approach a client with 3 different Quotes. [import]uid: 30314 topic_id: 25352 reply_id: 102600[/import]

#19

luckydomains2: Orchard keepers, tree farmers, vegetable farmers, fruit harvesters… seriously??

Admins: do we have a SPAM notify button anywhere? [import]uid: 108660 topic_id: 25352 reply_id: 103666[/import]

#20

Hey jeff, I’m removing the spammy post and blocking the account now.

We are going to be improving the forum soon, including the addition of a spam/abuse report button. I know it’s terrible we don’t yet have this, my apologies. [import]uid: 52491 topic_id: 25352 reply_id: 103699[/import]