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I Charged $18k for a Static HTML Page

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Re: I Charged $18k for a Static HTML Page

#281

Post by biztos »

duxup wrote: post #18

I know someone working as a contractor for a big company. 1 year contract. 6 months have gone by and they've done ... nothing. Their boss keeps saying "Don't worry we'll get to you, we're just swamped right now, you're good." They're already talking about extending the contract.

I've seen the same thing, off and on, for over 20 years.

Employee or contractor gets stuck somewhere with nothing much to do... speaks to manager about it repeatedly... gets the "just find something to do, we'll get to you" speech... fails (often despite good-faith effort) to find anything useful to do... and eventually gives up.

Worst case I personally witnessed was a quite talented dev going six months without any actual project, then another couple before quitting.

Another case was a guy who tried to use his abundant free time to learn other skills but mostly ended up playing Myst, which proves this phenomenon is as old as dirt. :-). (He ultimately gave up the Myst Gig and quit, I'm sure to the consternation of his manager who probably lost a head-count over it.)

Re: I Charged $18k for a Static HTML Page

#282

Post by vkou »

LocalPCGuy wrote: post #166
adamqureshi wrote: post #131

We did some agency work Ad agency / sub contract) in NYC. I said to the agency we will deliver HTML/CSS/JS and its $12,500 for the site / pages. They came back with NO our budget is $25k and we will pay that. Im like ok wire be the bread, here is my ACH ( They did) I delivered the HTML/CSS/JS. They came back with but who is gonna do the API work with our back end guy. Seems they could not make a distinction connectin…

In my experience, where the Front End stops and the Back End starts is always a fuzzy line for non-technical clients (even if that have devs on staff). Especially when you're talking to the marketing department and devs work in IT or another similarly separated department. It pays to have the discussion and get it in writing up front (plus, if you CAN do API work, it may provide additional revenue that you didn't nec…

20 coins for the horse? Done, and done, Sir.

Now, how much will you pay me for the tack and saddle?

Re: I Charged $18k for a Static HTML Page

#283

Post by lone_haxx0r »

TheSpiceIsLife wrote: post #247
lone_haxx0r wrote: post #203

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You're right, at least in the case of highly regulated markets and when the state creates artificial monopolies (e.g. electricity). I'll correct my original comment then: At least private companies that compete in a relatively free market are losing their own earned money when they're inefficient, not someone else's.

It’s still not right. Private companies are losing money on behalf of their owners or shareholders.

You could say that the owners/shareholders are losing it themselves, because they voluntarily invested in the company, as opposed to the state, which takes your money even if you don't want it to.

Re: I Charged $18k for a Static HTML Page

#284

Post by projektfu »

crispyambulance wrote: post #178

My parents had been running their own tailor shop in the 80's, barely making ends meet, pulling in less than $20K a year. It wasn't for lack of business, father was a master tailor trained in Italy and capable of elite bespoke craftsmanship. They had as much business as they could handle. The problem was that they were charging what they thought the work was worth rather than what their customers were willing to pay.…

Bravo, but the article was about being placed at a typical rate on a 20 hour job that became a 300 hour job. Here's an article about what you're talking about: https://hbr.org/2017/10/why-you-should-charge-clients-more-t...

Re: I Charged $18k for a Static HTML Page

#285

Post by JabavuAdams »

antepodius wrote: post #153
madeofpalk wrote: post #120

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Its stories (and personal experience) like this that make me laugh when people try and say that governments are inefficient and lacks accountability.

Big things are more likely to be inefficient and lack accountability. Governments are big, so are big corporations.

Yes, this. It's worth emphasizing whenever someone trots out the inefficient-government dogma.

Re: I Charged $18k for a Static HTML Page

#286

Post by JabavuAdams »

imtringued wrote: post #279
jld wrote: post #183

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How are dollars I have paid to the government any more mine than dollars I have paid to a company?

The government isn't supposed to run a profit. Therefore it becomes very difficult to know which part of it is wasteful and which isn't. Companies simply fail if they don't make a profit or have an outside funding source.

Not nearly quickly enough to be a curb on wasteful behaviour at large companies, and these are the ones that affect public policy.

Re: I Charged $18k for a Static HTML Page

#287

Post by paublyrne »

reaperducer wrote: post #271
kortilla wrote: post #265

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Where? This anecdote is oft repeated with little evidence. The only I example I remember is some place getting caught doing it and having to stop because of the bad press.

IIRC, it's very common for travel sites to charge higher prices for Apple users.

Any examples?

Re: I Charged $18k for a Static HTML Page

#289

Post by S_A_P »

analogmemory wrote: post #117
S_A_P wrote: post #78

I don't find this to be beyond belief, but there are a few things the author should have done differently. 1) Notify when hours were exceeded 2) Get written notification that he was still required to come in to the office while waiting for assets or otherwise at a blocker 3) Ask questions to further cement the requirements 4) pick up a phone? I think that ethically this was not a great move on this persons part, but…

I mean they were pretty clear they didn't care about the money. Emailing daily to check in on progress is good enough. I've been in a similar situation. The manager isn't really concerned about the money. They just need someone to justify their expenses. > We need your full undivided attention to complete this project. For the duration of the contract, you will work exclusively with us to deliver result in a timely m…

In my experience as a contractor, the client doesn't care about the money until they do. The contractors that I have seen thrive and the times that I have thrived as a contractor is when I showed that I was there to provide value and not just "coast". Most businesses don't have time to deal with coasters until they need to cut their burn rate. If you are providing more than what you're asked you can usually stay or be first in line to return when help is required.

Re: I Charged $18k for a Static HTML Page

#290

Post by JabavuAdams »

blunte wrote: post #146
duxup wrote: post #18

I know someone working as a contractor for a big company. 1 year contract. 6 months have gone by and they've done ... nothing. Their boss keeps saying "Don't worry we'll get to you, we're just swamped right now, you're good." They're already talking about extending the contract.

I've lived this. Myself and a very expensive team of EY kids were waiting eagerly every day for anyone in corp management to throw us any kind of tasks. On the rare occasion that we were given a task, we would all descend upon one computer like vultures, group-solving the problem typically in 60minutes or less. Then it was back to doing nothing. Diplomacy (the game) became our primary activity. It was fun, but such a…

What are EY kids?
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