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Re:Ask HN: Contractors, what is your hourly rate? by edent on Friday August 26, 2022 @09:34AM (#32607311)
I have three rates.

You are a charity, or other worthy cause, or someone I really want to work with - 50% - 100% discount.

You are a normal client - 100%.

You are either an arsehole or have asked for something very last minute - 150%-200% depending on the mood I'm in.

The last one, colloquially known as the fuck-off rate, is probably the best bit of contracting advice I ever got from a colleague. He hated the gig we were doing, utterly despised the boss, and walked away smiling every day because he was one week closer to retirement. It's only really sustainable for your mental health in short runs.

Oh, and never charge per hour. It isn't like you can do an hour for client X and then the next one on client Y. You're not a bloody lawyer - you're a professional!

I sometimes split jobs into half-days, if the client prefers it. Although that's more like 66% for each half.

Oh, and finally, you don't customise Salesforce. You help your clients solve a problem. That may usually involve Salesforce, but most of your potential clients probably don't know what SF can do. So what you're actually selling is a way to optimise the client funnel (or whatever).

Re:Ask HN: Contractors, what is your hourly rate? by tagersenim on Friday August 26, 2022 @10:01AM (#32607663)
Oh, to be able to charge by the hour would be such bliss as a lawyer. We charge by 0,1 hours: every 6 minutes need to be accounted for.
Re:Ask HN: Contractors, what is your hourly rate? by jliptzin on Friday August 26, 2022 @10:35AM (#32608074)
I love getting charged $75 for emails that just say “OK”
Re:Ask HN: Contractors, what is your hourly rate? by brk on Friday August 26, 2022 @10:46AM (#32608214)
I do consulting, but not as a developer, more business growth/strategy.

I tell all my clients, you are not paying for my time spent on a specific task, you are paying for access to my 25+ years of experience, learnings, and contacts.

An email that just says "OK" might be the net result of a set of experiences and knowledge that would take the client 2 weeks and $2,000 to obtain on their own. $75 would therefore be a bargain.

Re:Ask HN: Contractors, what is your hourly rate? by VoodooJuJu on Saturday August 27, 2022 @06:36AM (#32617599)
I too delude myself into believing an "OK" from me is worth $75.
Re:Ask HN: Contractors, what is your hourly rate? by Mandatum on Wednesday August 31, 2022 @07:13PM (#32669560)
You obviously haven't been the decision maker for anything remotely important.
Re:Ask HN: Contractors, what is your hourly rate? by VoodooJuJu on Friday September 02, 2022 @12:24PM (#32692632)
Keep fooling yourself.
Re:Ask HN: Contractors, what is your hourly rate? by tagersenim on Friday August 26, 2022 @02:38PM (#32611147)
You’re underselling it. You’ll get a message saying:

“OK”

THE CONTENT OF THIS EMAIL IS CONFIDENTIAL AND INTENDED FOR THE RECIPIENT SPECIFIED IN MESSAGE ONLY. IT IS STRICTLY FORBIDDEN…

Re:Ask HN: Contractors, what is your hourly rate? by czbond on Friday August 26, 2022 @10:14AM (#32607818)
I've always thought that was weird. What is the underlying reason do you think? I get 6 minute phone calls, but to then pivot to another 6 minute+ task is too granular
Re:Ask HN: Contractors, what is your hourly rate? by zemptime on Friday August 26, 2022 @10:42AM (#32608152)
Suspect 6 minutes being increment has more to do with being 1/10 of an hour (easy to calculate rate) & and as fine-grained as you can get without being so obnoxious you can't track.
Re:Ask HN: Contractors, what is your hourly rate? by scruple on Friday August 26, 2022 @12:58PM (#32610007)
I also operate on a sliding scale. I once charged a ludicrous hourly rate for a client who came to me asking for VB6 work (in 2015) that was very last minute. I genuinely didn't want the work, it landed on my lap through word-of-mouth between a former client (who I had done some VB6 work for a few years prior) and this prospective client, and realized that I needed to adjust my rates to account for a variety of circumstances.
Re:Ask HN: Contractors, what is your hourly rate? by cosmodisk on Friday August 26, 2022 @06:13PM (#32613344)
I did the same recently. I didn't want the job and was quite tired,so I just quoted some stupid price so I won't need to do it. Ended up working the weekend and a bit, which was almost x1.5 of my normal rate.
Re:Ask HN: Contractors, what is your hourly rate? by ironlake on Friday August 26, 2022 @09:50AM (#32607501)
>I have three rates.

If you mention one of them, we can probably calculate the other two.

Re:Ask HN: Contractors, what is your hourly rate? by steve_slammin on Wednesday August 31, 2022 @10:37AM (#32662575)
He helps his clients solve problems...unless they aren't using Salesforce. Then they're on their own.
Re:Ask HN: Contractors, what is your hourly rate? by datavirtue on Friday August 26, 2022 @09:41AM (#32607392)
Good point. Developers need to quit putting tools (languages, frameworks, cloud vendors) and tech buzzwords next to their name. It is embarrassing as hell.
Re:Ask HN: Contractors, what is your hourly rate? by edent on Friday August 26, 2022 @09:58AM (#32607613)
I wouldn't say embarrassing - I'd just say limiting.

A plumber doesn't list the names of the industrial chemicals and tools. They say "we unblock your toilet quickly and safely" - because that's what the customer is buying.

Re:Ask HN: Contractors, what is your hourly rate? by dinosaurdynasty on Friday August 26, 2022 @10:28AM (#32607988)
Well at least there aren't 20 types of toilets where each one takes 3 years to learn how to unlock...
Re:Ask HN: Contractors, what is your hourly rate? by PainfullyNormal on Friday August 26, 2022 @01:09PM (#32610142)
Aren't there? You should have a candid conversation with a plumber sometime. I think you'll be surprised.
Re:Ask HN: Contractors, what is your hourly rate? by Noneofya on Saturday August 27, 2022 @08:12AM (#32618109)
If you need 3 years to unlock the toilet with any framework, that says more about you than your profession.
Re:Ask HN: Contractors, what is your hourly rate? by NoZZz on Monday August 29, 2022 @06:39PM (#32644479)
We should also have the conversation as to why that plumber can get away with cash xD
Re:Ask HN: Contractors, what is your hourly rate? by brightball on Friday August 26, 2022 @09:45AM (#32607439)
I always called that 3rd rate the "rush rate"
Re:Ask HN: Contractors, what is your hourly rate? by WithinReason on Friday August 26, 2022 @09:53AM (#32607532)
It also applies for salaries in a job search, you adjust based on the company.
Re:Ask HN: Contractors, what is your hourly rate? by cgb223 on Friday August 26, 2022 @10:54AM (#32608311)
If you don’t charge by the hour and the half day unit is optional, what’s your recommended unit of time or work to measure by?
Re:Ask HN: Contractors, what is your hourly rate? by cosmodisk on Friday August 26, 2022 @06:14PM (#32613358)
Days, ideally weeks.
Re:Ask HN: Contractors, what is your hourly rate? by riekus on Friday August 26, 2022 @08:38PM (#32614395)
Gold here, thank you! How do you get your SF clients?