Reasonable Hour Rate for PHP Work?

[nasaboy007]

I was just wondering what a reasonable / average hourly rate for PHP work is. The job involves making a new PHP script (and editing some old ones). It's not difficult, really, but it is time consuming to debug all the different facets, etc.

I've never done hourly work - it's always been by project, but I feel that hourly would be more professional (etc). My client wants to know my hourly rate, but as I've never actually done any hourly rate jobs, I'm not sure what to say. I don't want to undersell myself, but I also don't want to overcharge and lose the potential client.

How much is average?

 

[ncwdavid]

It all depends on how good you are, how much experience you have and all of that stuff. If you have 2 years of programming experience then you should not charge the same as a programmer who has 5 or more years of experience.

I know a guy who has been doing sites for about 10 years and he charges €100+ per hour but he is experienced and has scripts which he created over the last few years that can be implemented very quickly into the users design so he gets a lot done in one hour and the quality of work is 100 times better then the other coder with 2 years experience.

 

[nasaboy007]

Let's just say for a coder who is 18, but has been coding for ~5 years and is decent at it (but not godly like some people).

 

[Bruce_KD]

When I did work, I came in dirt cheap. I figured most of the time I would spend on that work was where I'd be screwing around othwerwise. If you're looking to make some cash on the side, I'd go with $5-10/hr. An extra 10 hours per week will give you some good pocket change.

I'm assuming since you're 18 you have no degree (B.S. or M.S. in Computer Science/Engineering). You could ask for a lot more if you had that.

My basic rule of thumb would be start high and come down. Ask for $20/hr, bargain down. As you accumulate a portfolio, you can ask for more. As a teen with limited freelancing experience, people will be skeptical. Anyone stupid enough to hire a teen (please take no offense, but many programmers our age have terrible practices) doesn't have a huge budget.


Bruce

 

[nasaboy007]

yeah, i've already worked with the company as an unpaid intern for a few months though - so they pretty much know my working habits. it IS for money on the side as i'll be working from home, so i'll probably go with the 20/bargain down (i was thinking 10-20 myself, so it makes sense).

thanks!

 

[CrackFeed.Com]

That whole "unpaid intern" crap is a scam itself. They take advantage of the people who need the money the most! No wonder capitalism failed.

I agree here though, experience counts most of all. That and availability. I pay more for people that I can get in touch with often for recurring jobs and in a timely manner. Keep your developers in you pocket, it is hard to find good ones... my definition of "good" is rather strict. lol

Though I have decades of experience, I am charging pennies on the dollar practically because it is getting harder to find jobs, thanks to the "you know whos" charging $3 an hour for crap code on top of a poor economic stance.

 

[theSun]

$15-$35.

 

[nasaboy007]

I was forced to do the unpaid internship by my high school - it's one of our graduation requirements. I personally enjoyed it, but I see what you mean Halcyon.Prime.

 

[djdeth]

I wouldn't say there is a set rate at which a reasonable hourly rate for PHP work. There are a ton of factors. Where you are located. Where the programmer is located. What kind of customer service you get, and so on. I live in Las Vegas, and the typical contracting PHP development out here is about $30-$40 an hour. If they are working on a salary rate with benefits, $15-$20 an hour.

 

[K1llswitch]

Yikes... I charged $35/hr at other boards I frequent, but I became known as "Reliable and inexpensive" so I ended up bumping my rates up to $45/hr.

That's online anyway... Locally because of people not being so cheap working with an actual offline company, I charge $100/hr.

 

[eagle12]

I charge a minimum of $50/hour, and haven't had any issues getting that.