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Going rate for setting up a simple blog/site?

  • 29-08-2014 10:14am
    #1
    robocode
    Registered Users Posts: 491 ✭✭


    I have a friend that knows a guy :rolleyes: in charge of a...hmmmm.... 'government body' that would like a simple blog setup. The example he showed me of what he wants is a really basic wordpress blog. I would have played around with Ghost maybe, but he wants what he wants. The thing is I have no idea what to charge in such a situation. I'm a professional developer, I've never done any freelancing. Any tips?


Comments

  • #2
    Aswerty
    Registered Users Posts: 586 ✭✭✭Aswerty


    I wouldn't know the going rate but I do know these types of jobs are generally more hassle than they're worth if you're making a decent wage as a developer.


  • #3
    Giblet
    Registered Users Posts: 11,977 ✭✭✭✭Giblet


    As you are a professional coder, rather than someone out of college.
    If you're doing this for drinking money, don't bother, usually means they underpaid and will expect you to maintain it forever.
    If you are looking for a more serious amount of money (couple of K), get a contract signed outlining your actions and responsibilities.


  • #4
    Goodshape
    Registered Users Posts: 8,488 ✭✭✭Goodshape


    Giblet wrote: »
    If you're doing this for drinking money, don't bother, usually means they underpaid and will expect you to maintain it forever.

    Depends on your relationship with your friend but this is worth repeating. It's almost always those clients you under-charge that cause the most hassle. Your work, your time and your skill/expertise is undervalued and they have no qualms asking you to "bang up" additional changes and backseat driving the whole show.

    But, at the end of the day, you know you're friend and we don't so... just be wary of it at least.


    Otherwise, just think of what your time is worth (day or hour), 'friend prices' if you must, how much time it will take you, multiply the two and there you go. There's no great science to it. You say you're a professional coder anyway so probably have some idea what a day of your time is worth? Same thing when freelancing.


  • #5
    Talisman
    Registered Users Posts: 5,999 ✭✭✭Talisman


    If you want to do the project then stick with WordPress - there are a multitude of plugins available for when then inevitable change requests start rolling in. If you implement it using Ghost then chances are you'll be developing the additional functionalities yourself and learn the hard way that there's no such thing as "a simple blog" setup.

    If you want to roll your own theme for the site then use a framework like Genesis and save yourself some headaches down the line.

    Also keep in mind that the "government body" is required to make their website to be highly accessible - In my experience of working with public bodies, there are quite a few individuals in positions of responsibility that don't know that there are such rules to be followed.


  • #6
    tricky D
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,700 ✭✭✭tricky D


    As well as accessibility, you can throw in a version in Irish. Mind you a lot of irlgov sites are accessibility lite, very lite.


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  • #7
    beauf
    Closed Accounts Posts: 22,651 ✭✭✭✭beauf


    I would have thought there would be a tender process.


  • #8
    daveohdave
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 483 ✭✭daveohdave


    If it's for a government body, when you decide on a figure, double it. They'll use your development time again dicking you about with meetings, consultations and general nonsense. If you actually want to make a profit, triple it.


  • #9
    Graham
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 17,642 Mod ✭✭✭✭Graham


    beauf wrote: »
    I would have thought there would be a tender process.

    That's only necessary for projects over a certain value.


  • #10
    robocode
    Registered Users Posts: 491 ✭✭robocode


    beauf wrote: »
    I would have thought there would be a tender process.

    I'm certain he will be looking for quotes from several people, I'm just trying to get an idea if where I might aim mine.

    Having spoken to a few friends, they have echoed what everyone else has said here regarding the dangers of doing work for someone you know. I'll give it some more consideration, thanks :)


  • #11
    robocode
    Registered Users Posts: 491 ✭✭robocode


    One more question, how would I go about declaring a job like this to the tax man? Take the simple case of it being €1k, what kind of tax could I be looking at?


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  • #12
    Graham
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 17,642 Mod ✭✭✭✭Graham


    robocode wrote: »
    One more question, how would I go about declaring a job like this to the tax man? Take the simple case of it being €1k, what kind of tax could I be looking at?

    Whatever your highest rate of tax/PRSI is currently, expect to pay that on the full amount. In reality, you're probably talking in the region of 50% of whatever you charge.

    For €500, I wouldn't touch it for all of the reasons stated above. I don't expect you (anyone for that matter) to heed that advice but when you've taken the 457th phone call 18 months later you will have an epiphany when you realise your services have generated about 87c per hour.

    There is a very good reason a website for a Government Department costs a multiple of the same site for a company. Here's a clue, it's not because the organisations delivering to government make an enormous profit.

    Even if you do charge enough to cover the additional costs of working with government, you then leave yourself open to public scrutiny/FOI requests etc etc. Anything you produce is likely to be met with a chorus of critiques from the armchair referees and when it's discovered how much you charged for the work you will be open to accusation of overcharging because someone always has a mate/knows someone (just like you) who would have done it for €1000.


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