How to Charge for Modifing a Program

johntatjandj

Guest
J
What is the customary practice for pricing when asked to modify a program that has had 3 other programmers work on it and has not one rung comment, but it does have some of the bits and i/o labeled....

Thanks
 
In the absence of a job specification that clearly identifies what is expected of you, your safest course of action is to quote an hourly rate.

If the customer insists on a fixed price, how well do you know what the program is supposed to do? You're going to have to come up with your best estimate of the amount of time it will take to make the modifications the customer wants. Once you've done that, you need to apply a contingency factor to that estimate to cover unanticipated problems. The better you understand the process, the lower the contingency factor.
 
Thanks, I was kinda leaning to the hourly rate because of so many hands that have been in the pot and the lack of complete discriptions of changes etc. What is a common hourly rate at your location?

Thanks
John
 
I believe it was Pierre who had the best comment about hourly rates. He said, "you're not paying my rate for one hour of my time. You're paying my rate for the years of experience that permit me to get your job done in an hour."

In short, set your rate based more on your experience and ability than on what the competition is charging.
 

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