Advice needed from web developer

unknowndomain · 25 Jul 2008 at 18:58

I am a student, a lecturer at uni presented a client who offered me some work, initially very excited I worked with the lecturer to estimate costs and time.

I calculated it at 42 days of work, at the agreed rate of £100 a day me and my lecturer asked for £4200 for the project, he declined this saying £3000 was more reasonable, we accepted based on the fact that there was no deadline, I started the project 2 months ago and to date I have spent an average of 8 hrs a day for 5 days a week working on his project and I have hardly got any where, maybe 10% done.

There have been many unforeseen problems most of which are related to the site design being poor (its his design) and my inexperience and predicting work load.

I am basically ready to chuck it in I signed no contract and I need to have a break as the other 2 days a week I work 9 hrs at a retail store.

My question is, how do I present this to the client, email, telephone what ever I am really not sure how to explain that his design has caused a lot of complications and that my in experience has led me to massively under estimate the work required.

Priapus · 25 Jul 2008 at 19:23

My suggestion is meet with him personally. However, maybe offer a redesign if his one is causing so many problems?

AHarvey · 25 Jul 2008 at 19:53

You have several options:

1) Wash your hands of it, move and always look back in shame

2) Come up with a redeisgn, explain to the customer that what he wants is causing all sorts of trouble for you resulting in a slow turn around. If he doesn't buy it then simply state that you don't have the experience to deliver that. Don't just go up to them and tell them that their design is bad! You should never approach a customer/boss with a problem without at least trying to come up with a solution first!

3) Create a new post here, detailing what you need to achieve, where you are having problems and what you have so far. I am sure that many of the people here who are experienced would like to help, even those with basic knowledge like myself would be willing to help out purely because it also helps us

What is the website? What parts are you having trouble with?

unknowndomain · 25 Jul 2008 at 20:20

Yeah, defiantly, I would not be so direct as I have here and the issue is more involved but I had to summarise or face a 100 page essay, the one thing of importance I missed out is I have 1 month for this project and I am back at uni so I have pretty much decided to abandon it, I am just not sure how, meeting him to me seems the most professional but also the hardest option, I would probably phone him because apart form being hard to actually meet up with my current location I would feel more at ease to be able to hang up at the end rather than walk away.

Beansprout · 25 Jul 2008 at 20:28

As the developer it's your job to talk with the client and discuss things if their design is unworkable for any reason

blade007 · 25 Jul 2008 at 20:41

That's a bad case of underestimating work involved.

Your prof is also not very good with negotiations. You 've asked what's fair to get the job done and they've got 29% discount from you. So you're already on the backfoot and feeling like you've been rinsed.

Your options are, like AHarvey says

I would go with 2) and see what they say.

blade007 · 25 Jul 2008 at 20:50

Here's a tip for you if you continue in the web development world.

-- Never give a quote on the spot, or in a meeting --

You will always underquote or misjudge the timescales.

Say something like 'To give you an accurate costing and time indication I'll need to review your requirements and write you a proper proposal'. Most people will accept that and it'll give you a bit of time to properly understand what they want and how much time you will need.

This probably only works at business level but it's worth remembering if you make a career as web developer.

roid · 25 Jul 2008 at 21:13

What you should have done is take how long you thought it would take, then double it, no triple it. Then if you get it done before he is well chuffed, if there are complications then you have plenty of time to work it out.

Tripnologist · 25 Jul 2008 at 23:40

roid said:
What you should have done is take how long you thought it would take, then double it, no triple it. Then if you get it done before he is well chuffed, if there are complications then you have plenty of time to work it out.

I always double my time estimates as well. Things almost always take longer than I think they will plus if something comes up, as often does, I still get it done in time and the client is pleased. If there are no problems, I deliver early and the client is extremely pleased.

Eriedor · 26 Jul 2008 at 12:39

A lesson to take from this is to be more vocal with your client. You need to update them regularly on progress and possible changes to timescales and possible re-evaluation of requirements.