That is nice dream, but the big fallacy.
My code is much better architected, much more reusable, cleaner, and, if you're going to be using it in the long-term, it's going to be much, much cheaper. Not to sound arrogant, but I sometimes marvel at how easy it is to add more features or change features just because the code was written properly the first time around.
This is what the client pays for, the years of experience that have taught me how to write clean, maintainable and extensible code. If you're going to throw the code away after your MVP, you obviously shouldn't care if the code is maintainable, but code written by inexperienced and experienced developers is nowhere near similar.
Your code I am sure is excellent; but we're talking about the other factors, such a project management, specification and UI design. etc etc.
Also, in some cases there is no point building a full architecture and reusable constructs: if all you're doing is writing a Wordpress theme or plugin what's the need?
You wouldn't hire me to write a Wordpress theme, you'd hire someone without the premium. And it would he just as good!
I admire your humility.
> I don't know about your or your friends' coding skills, so I can't comment. I see a huge difference in the code my friends write in their language of proficiency versus code I write in the same language (I am mainly a scientist, so my code tends to be ad-hoc modelling to get to a specific point, then discarded).
> Their code is much better architected, much more reusable, cleaner, and, if you're going to be using it in the long-term, it's going to be much, much cheaper. Not to sound arrogant, but they sometimes marvel at how easy it is to add more features or change features just because the code was written properly the first time around.
> This is what the client pays for, the years of experience that have taught them how to write clean, maintainable and extensible code. If you're going to throw the code away after your MVP, you obviously shouldn't care if the code is maintainable, but code written by inexperienced and experienced developers is nowhere near similar.
Better now?
As the technical ability of the customer goes down, the input, and therefore the cost, of the developer goes up.
Of course, this falls apart when you get non-technical people hiring grunt coders...
But there is nothing bad about such programmers - they just fullfill a different market sector. And their code is likely just as good. What you pay the premium for is someone to manage the technical side rather than just do as their told.