Need some "rates" advice please!

[VBM2]

Hi all,

I'm new to the contracting scene so I'm hoping a few of you can help me out.

Basically, I'm 19... have had about 7 months worth of contracting experience developing in VB6 / VBA (In Access & Excel) and package deployment suites like Installshield etc. At the moment, I feel like I've got a bit of a bad deal. I typically charge £35 a day (haven't really got static rate). Anyway, I did a very small contract for a small company local to me only last week and I have been thinking about my rates and whether I am under-charging. The boss seems to think £35 is fair (of course he'd say that) but there's no real "convention" for someone to figure out how much they're worth on a per hour / day basis when running your own business.

So, I wanted your opinions on what I should charge. Bear in mind my age, experience and skills please!

VBM

[steve'O]

Some things can influence your daily rate

Is your Mother a one armed Lesbian
and does your dad inject drugs into his penis?

[n5gooner]

£35 pd on a 7.5h day is £4.66ph.....you may as well work in Tescos and get £5++Ph.

I'd have *guessed* at around the £10-£12ph mark - but why not do a search on the job section see what people are paying.

[The Late, Great JC]

What bearing has your age in all this? Apart from the fact that if you're male WS might be interested - he's tired of 13 year olds from Thailand.

[xoggoth]

Depends on sector and location. In sticks VB6/VBA in excel/access for longer term contracts can be as low as £12 ph, do same work in city (but I assume financial knowledge is an at least as important part of this) and can be more like £45. You have to be able to get the clints of course but what you are charging seems crazily low. I would think of at least £10ph.

[VBM2]

Haha! I'm amazed at how companies take advantage of the whole "age" thing. They think the younger and inexperienced you are, the more reason it gives them to pay you less, regardless of your skills. One reason why I've HAD to charge so little was because I wanted to attract more customers to use moi frequently and I didn't really have a contractors reputation. Had to build myself up kinda thing.

I'm from East Midlands by the way...

[BoredBloke]

£35 per day - and all the pi55 taken out of you for free. I would say that you should be on a minimum of £100 per day.

[Bagpuss]

£35 per day - and all the pi55 taken out of you for free. I would say that you should be on a minimum of £100 per day.

He's 19 FFS!

[The Lone Gunman]

Come on guys stop this thread.

Its very easy to find out, go to the Job Search page and put your skills in then search.
See what comes back.

Did a quick look.
VB6 and VBA skills
Min 20 per hour, some 270 a day max 400 in the city.

Do the research FFS

[The Late, Great JC]

Are you running the contract through a limited company?

If not, how are you paid?

Have you got Public Liability Insurance?

Are you just a doley who's getting a few quid on the sly?