First contracting job help

[Blackstar_solar]

(Disclaimer: If anyone can find relevant threads that already exist on this please let me know, I looked a good number of pages back but couldn't find anything, ditto if this should be moved).

I've just been offered a contracting job via a friend that seems to be clearly within my field but I haven't done any contracting before so I've got a few questions.

I'm currently employed as a .NET developer so I'd be doing this out side of normal working hours. I've checked with my employer and this is fine so long as I don't do any work on it in office hours, using office equipment, company source code etc.

I've got a call with the client scheduled for this afternoon (after work ) and I'm wondering what questions to ask. So far I have:

• What exactly is the project (I only know that it's a ASP.NET project at the moment)
• Is doing it out side of normal office hours, i.e. it will take longer, agreeable to them?
• Can I view any existing source code prior to agreeing to see what the state of affairs currently is?
• What money are they offering? Or should I give them a price / hour, what would you consider reasonable?

What do the guys who've done contracting before think of those questions (probably not phrased in exactly those words obviously) and do you have any more you would ask?

Here's some more questions for you guys rather than the client

• I was also thinking that if I agree to do the work I'd ask for 1/2 money upfront and 1/2 on completion. Is this normal?
• What do you do about "contracts" etc between you and the client?

Many thanks

 

[mp3duck]

I've personally not heard of being paid up front.
You generally invoice for the previous weeks work.

It may be that you do this work for a fixed price however. Then, 1/2 payment up front doesn't sound too unreasonable to me.

You questions seem good, but I'd ask for a full specification upfront.
You need to agree what you are building before you start, or they will keep changing their mind.

(I've been a .net dev for 10 years)

 

[Blackstar_solar]

You questions seem good, but I'd ask for a full specification upfront.
You need to agree what you are building before you start, or they will keep changing their mind.
(I've been a .net dev for 10 years)

Agreed, assuming its a smallish project, waterfall all the way. Need to be able to charge for those changes