Freelance web design rates

[joeyjojo]

Been doing web design etc. for years but been a bit out of it recently. What would you say is a sensible hourly rate to help quoting a price for a job? Forget any specifics, just a ballpark figure.

As a student I'd be chuffed with £7-£10/hour - obviously as a full time job one would expect to quote more.

 

[Mr_L]

As a student I'd be chuffed with £7-£10/hour - obviously as a full time job one would expect to quote more.

If that's a rate you are comfortable with, then use it.

Though, I'd be inclined to charge £20+ per hour.

 

[tsinc80697]

My mate phoned me the other day and he has been speaking to a bar who is after a new website, I had no idea what to charge them so I told him I'd be looking at £15/hour and could make a time estimation once I knew what they wanted doing.

Most places wont pay you per hour but per project, the hardest part is working out how many hours it really is going to take you though as the last project I worked on seemed to take forever as someone kept wanting changes at random points, but for them I was contracted for 8 weeks to get as much as possible done for them.

 

[Mint_Sauce]

I'm no web designer but people seem to want me to build sites for them. I charge £20ph and they're more than happy with that. I do look after my customers well though and am always at hand to help them out plus I give them what they want rather than what I think they should have.

I think that's why I get referred more than my actual web skills so yeah, if you have a good attitude and the skills I don't see why you can't charge £20+.

Also, I log all my hours I do and put a description of what I've done next to each block of hours. This keep people happy as although they might not understand it, at least they have something to refer too when they get a bill. They can see where their money is going and it shows I'm open and have nothing to hide.

 

[joeyjojo]

Very helpful. Ta.

I agree, estimating how long things will take is the hardest part :s

 

[Butters]

Very helpful. Ta.

I agree, estimating how long things will take is the hardest part :s

I create a time sheet for my client and show them the regular updates so they can at least see whats being done.

TBH, if they are asking for your help, its more than likely they don't know really how long these things take, but they are pleased to see updates and things working especially how they like it.

I don't give a completion date as you can't know one. If they keep asking for revisions during the project I split it up into phases and ask for payment at the end of each phase.

I'm not full time as it would bore me senseless. However, I normally charge £20ph for web work.

 

[Mint_Sauce]

I do the same, I have a development area on my website so the client can log in at any time and see how it's getting on. I don't do it fulltime either.

 

[Sagalout]

When I'm freelancing for other agencies I charge £225 per day. Direct to client work I charge £350 per day. Seems to be fairly average rates up North.

 

[boycee]

£7-£10/hour!!!

After tax, and prob second job issues, you're gonna be taking home jack mate!

I wouldn't even open up notepad for less than £8.00 p/h take home!

As for estimates, I break most tasks down to hrs taken to complete. Add a tiny bit of wiggle room, as chances are you'll face some issues. Some tasks you underestimate others you overestimate, so you eventually end up even stevens.

Also write up a spec of everything they are getting and get them to sign it off. Then any additional changes go down as additions, which are quoted separately and signed off. You want to get into this quick, last thing you want is "oh, actually I thought it was gonna look like this... Can you do it that way" As you'll end up going round in circles. They see, they sign, they get. If they don't like it, then they pay to change it (assuming it meets the original spec)

 

[v0n]

It's the first time I hear about paying freelance designer per hour. No business would make themselves any favours if it was in designers best interest to be as slow as possible. Unless you have a certificate that you are the fastest coder in Wild West, I'd say it's reasonable for people to pay you per project not per hour as freelancer. You want to be paid per hour, go contract.

 

[Tetsujin]

Yeah, you are better off figuring out your average working rate and assessing how long a particular job spec will take to complete. then just multiply by whatever your desired hourly rate and hey presto, project price. all the contracts and sign offs as mentioned by boycee are essential if you're going to make a living of this.

it's probably trickier if it's purely a design you're doing rather than systems (and if you do get into coding web systems you charge a lot more, note), but a couple mock ups to give them to choose from initially so they have an idea of what 'look' they're getting and to minimise the chance of any 'oh i dont like that' surprises come pay day could be a smart move. or ask them to show you an existing site they like so you have an initial direction.

 

[blade007]

I think rate of about £20 an hour is fair when you're starting off. Most companies won't blink an eye at that. (just don't tell them your hourly rate)

As you get busier so your prices go up, plus the more confident you get of your abilities and to be able to sell them better ... then you ask for more.

 

[Una]

I don't tend to charge by the hour and just give a quote for the whole job. So depends on what the client requires done. Only problem with this is you need to get your timescale estimates right.

 

[eldar]

i had a friend charging 30-45 per hour

 

[furnace]

I give them a Project proposal (In detail, what they will get)
For the project proposal, I write a ToDo list (in detail of every step I need to do to complete the site, detailing how long each step will take) for my own reference.

I keep giving them these proposals until they say "Yeah that sounds good", then they agree on that, I have the hours, multiply it by however much you're charging per hour and add expenses (petrol etc). Then that proposal becomes the final spec, which I send them with final costing details and stuff.

So then they've put in an order for what I've written on the document, anything different to (or on top of) the specification will cost them money Will also mean they can't fleece you - when you finish the site, if they say it's not how they wanted it, you can just point to the specification and say "Well it's what you ordered". It's not nice and of course for a good client you'd change a few bits at the end, but it gives you some standing if they start pushing you about too much.

Hardest part of any website is telling them the cost IMO... it's a right toss up between how much you think they're willing to pay, and how much you're willing to work for.