How much for this book site?

[therealwesfoster]

Ive been asked to re-vamp a book-selling site. It is currently all in html, so editing it is really a pain.

 

They need me to:

Create a database in order to store all the book and user information.

Create a templating system in order to allow easy editing of all the pages.

Create a shopping cart system.

Take all the current content for each page (20~ pages) and implement them into the new templates

 

Im not good at bidding (still new to me), so what would be a good price at $15 and hour?

 

Thanks, all replies are appreciated

[warran]

need 20 days? I think it's so.

[therealwesfoster]

Does $1000 sound fair? Should I go up or down?

 

Since I'm still new at freelancing, I want to bid a little lower than most people so I can get my portfolio finished. But not too low, I don't want to be losing money.

 

Thanks

[jcombs_31]

First off, $15/hr ?  A little low don't you think?  I probably wouldn't do that site for less that $3000 but I'd have to plan out some things and predict how long it would really take me and how much work is really involved.  Overall that is a pretty big project.

[tomfmason]

First off, $15/hr ?  A little low don't you think?  I probably wouldn't do that site for less that $3000 but I'd have to plan out some things and predict how long it would really take me and how much work is really involved.  Overall that is a pretty big project.

 

I agree with jcombs for the most part and I wouldn't do that project for much less than $3k. However, when bidding your must take your experience into consideration. As well all know, jcombs produces high quality work and can charge more than the average developer.

 

I recommend that you write a set of detailed project specs including all of the required features. Then go back and try to estimate, on average, how long each of the features in the required feature set will take. Then you multiply the total hours by your hourly rate. Depending on the resulting amount, I normally add between 20% and 30%. My rational is that the normal bid only covers your hourly rate and you should make a profit outside of that. Most normal retailers markup merchandise between 15% and 30% from their wholesale cost. You labor could be considered as the wholesale cost and the additional percentage is the markup.That is the really tricky part. You want to bid enough to where you make a profit outside of your hourly rate without scaring off the client.

[tomfmason]

bah! The time limit on editing posts seems to be way to short. I meant

 

However, when bidding, you must take your experience into consideration.

[tibberous]

Make the book thing, toss in OSC and you all set. $1000 is a good price, at $15 an hour that means it should take 60 hours, which is longer than it should take - but don't bid optimistic at $15 an hour, cause if it goes long then your starting to make no money. Make sure they won't bitch if you use OSC - you really don't want to have to 'make' a shopping cart.

[therealwesfoster]

First off, $15/hr ?  A little low don't you think?

 

Yes really. But after I get a few complete sites under my belt (i mainly get hit up for modifications) I'll have a more trustworthy background and people won't be afraid to pay me more. Know what I mean? Although I can do $20/hour, do you think that would be a good hourly price for me? (i mean, I make $15/hour doing my day job.. surely $20 wouldn't hurt too bad)..

 

Irecommend that you write a set of detailed project specs including all of the required features. Then go back and try to estimate, on average, how long each of the features in the required feature set will take. Then you multiply the total hours by your hourly rate. Depending on the resulting amount, I normally add between 20% and 30%. My rational is that the normal bid only covers your hourly rate and you should make a profit outside of that. Most normal retailers markup merchandise between 15% and 30% from their wholesale cost. You labor could be considered as the wholesale cost and the additional percentage is the markup.That is the really tricky part. You want to bid enough to where you make a profit outside of your hourly rate without scaring off the client.

 

Great advice! Thank you very much

 

Make the book thing, toss in OSC and you all set. $1000 is a good price, at $15 an hour that means it should take 60 hours, which is longer than it should take - but don't bid optimistic at $15 an hour, cause if it goes long then your starting to make no money. Make sure they won't bitch if you use OSC - you really don't want to have to 'make' a shopping cart.

I can make one.. I didn't even think of using a pre-made one though.. So I'll ask and see what they say.

 

--------

 

Here's what I figure (i'm being loose with the time):

Create a database in order to store all the book and user information. - 2 hr

Create a templating system in order to allow easy editing of all the pages. - 4 hr

Create a shopping cart system. - 5hr

Take all the current content for each page (20~ pages) and implement them into the new templates - 5hr.

 

Thats 16 hours

Add a few 'just-incase' hours - 22 hours.

22 hours at $20/hour is $440

Plus 30% like tom was talking about = $572

 

$572 is pretty low considering on what everyone else in this topic said.

 

-----

 

 

I really appreciate all the help I'm getting, please continue to give me some advice on this. I really want this project (they need to know today)

 

Thanks

[roopurt18]

My experience has taught me to multiply my original time estimate by a number between 3 and 5.

 

That will cover stuff you didn't account for as well as clients jumping in with "oh can you do this too?"

 

Also, if you overshoot and finish early, people are happy.  If you undershoot and finish late, people are mad.

[therealwesfoster]

Also, if you overshoot and finish early, people are happy.  If you undershoot and finish late, people are mad.

 

nice I'll keep that in mind

[448191]

I don't know much about US taxes. But on this side of the Atlantic, if I would charge someone €15, that would leave me loose change.

[therealwesfoster]

I made this up

6 - Templating System

  1 - Create headers and footers.

  1 - Re-Create the site design

  2 - Create each page along with template vars

  2 - 20~ pages total.

 

8 - User System

  1 - Create DB Stuff

  1 - Login Page

  2 - Register Page

  1 - Profile Page

  2 - Profile Edit Page

  2 - Sessions/Cookies

  1 - Captcha System

 

10 - Shopping Cart

  1 - Create DB Stuff

  1 - Add Items

  2 - Edit Cart

  1 - View Cart

  3 - Payment page

  2 - Sessions/Cookies

 

5 - Book DB

  1 - Create DB Stuff

  1 - Add Books

  2 - Edit Books

  1 - Remove Books

 

10 - Admin CP

  2 - Create/Edit/Remove News Articles

  3 - Add/Edit/Remove Users

  3 - View/Process/Remove Pending Payments

  2 - Edit Basic Site Information

 

Now my formula.

( ( (TOTAL HOURS) + JUST INCASE HOURS) * HOURLY CHARGE) ) * 20% EXTRA )

 

So:

( ( (10+5+10+8+6) +10) *20) )*1.2 ) = $1,176.

 

And I figured that a good time estimation would be 2-3 weeks (I have a full-time day job too).

 

Opinions please

[teng84]

LOL i charged $200 for that, men almost the same as those features design is also good I've layout that in PS.. and i've finished that in less than two weeks (without payment)

this is my neighbor's project .

but if i were to charge this professionally ($1000 converting that in our money is enough)

but if I'm in America and will spend dollars $2000 is my price.

 

and always think that there are tons of freelancer out there who's waiting for that project...

 

I remember when i PM one of the thread starter on this forum and I ask $500 but he can only offer $100 lol what can i buy for 100 dollar but amazingly someones accept the project..

Always take note that the company who is not in with IT world they dont care how you code their site as long as it is functioning based on their needs its fine..

 

and if you will bid that site it will fall as low as $500

 

 

 

[therealwesfoster]

^ So what are you saying?

 

I bid $1000 for ~2 weeks and told them i'm willing to negotiate depending on their budget (if they have one)

[teng84]

yeah... but maybe 1500 then tell them its negotiable

THE PAYER DON'T NEED US we need them..

level your price.. think wisely how much they can afford, like the other told you they will charge this for 3k but if im the company i will look for cheaper freelancer(this happened to me several times i bid high and lost the project but im still bidding high )

if that is the only project you have im sure you will accept that even if it cost 500 am i right?lol

i still want to add something but my nose is bleeding this is too much english lol

 

 

 

 

[therealwesfoster]

if that is the only project you have im sure you will accept that even if it cost 500 am i right?lol

 

Wrong I will not work for free. I will work for cheap to get myself started, but $500 is too low. I've turned down many offers before and have no problem doing it again.

 

i still want to add something but my nose is bleeding this is too much english lol

Just use a translator or something (although they suck)

[teng84]

sorry man. i thought you are the same with those other crazy freelancer who only want to have experience..

so there you go .. if you you want 1000 ask for 1500 or if you want 1500 ask for 2000

because they will surely ask for discounts..

that is the strategy of street vendors but very very effective

they will think that they save big amount even if the truth they don't

[therealwesfoster]

sorry man. i thought you are the same with those other crazy freelancer who only want to have experience..

so there you go .. if you you want 1000 ask for 1500 or if you want 1500 ask for 2000

because they will surely ask for discounts..

that is the strategy of street vendors but very very effective

they will think that they save big amount even if the truth they don't

 

Great advice! I really appreciate your time 

[jcombs_31]

LOL i charged $200 for that, men almost the same as those features design is also good I've layout that in PS.. and i've finished that in less than two weeks (without payment)

this is my neighbor's project .

but if i were to charge this professionally ($1000 converting that in our money is enough)

but if I'm in America and will spend dollars $2000 is my price.

 

and always think that there are tons of freelancer out there who's waiting for that project...

 

I remember when i PM one of the thread starter on this forum and I ask $500 but he can only offer $100 lol what can i buy for 100 dollar but amazingly someones accept the project..

Always take note that the company who is not in with IT world they dont care how you code their site as long as it is functioning based on their needs its fine..

 

and if you will bid that site it will fall as low as $500

 

 

 

 

I can't really say I understood any of that rambling.

[teng84]

LOL i charged $200 for that, men almost the same as those features design is also good I've layout that in PS.. and i've finished that in less than two weeks (without payment)

this is my neighbor's project .

but if i were to charge this professionally ($1000 converting that in our money is enough)

but if I'm in America and will spend dollars $2000 is my price.

 

and always think that there are tons of freelancer out there who's waiting for that project...

 

I remember when i PM one of the thread starter on this forum and I ask $500 but he can only offer $100 lol what can i buy for 100 dollar but amazingly someones accept the project..

Always take note that the company who is not in with IT world they dont care how you code their site as long as it is functioning based on their needs its fine..

 

and if you will bid that site it will fall as low as $500

 

 

 

 

I can't really say I understood any of that rambling.

well the thread starter understand my post..

try to understand just the way i try to understand your language..

will you let me post here using my language?

 

i'm not gonna argue about this and sorry if my post doesn't make sense

[448191]

THE PAYER DON'T NEED US we need them..

 

The "payer" needs someone. Unless you're on one of those stupid bidding sites, go with your own guts. If they can't afford it, don't sweat it. Plenty more fish in the sea.

[tibberous]

THE PAYER DON'T NEED US we need them..

 

The "payer" needs someone. Unless you're on one of those stupid bidding sites, go with your own guts. If they can't afford it, don't sweat it. Plenty more fish in the sea.

 

Agreed. Where people screw up, and screw up the whole industry, is thinking they need the project their bidding. They need a project, but not a certain project. Bid 20 projects high and you'll probably get one, bid one project super low and you'll probably get it - but the first way you get more money and don't hurt anyone else.

 

edit by neylitalo: Watch your language, please. Vulgarity is very rarely helpful, and even more rarely is it necessary. You can find more intelligent ways of expressing yourself.