I have a database I would like to have modified. Can this be done on a cost
per hour basis. If so, what can I expect the hourly rate to be.

In article <%lZCe.12411$ph1.423@trnddc06>, "Chuck Jernigan"
<cfj9481 (AT) verizon (DOT) net> wrote:

There is no standardised hourly rate and can vary EXTREMELY - it's up
to the FileMaker "expert" and you to come to an agreement. )

Helpful Harry
Hopefully helping harassed humans happily handle handiwork hardships ;o)

<snip>

</snip>

Harry, you can do better.

42 <nospam (AT) nospam (DOT) com> wrote:

It's very difficult to donate "time" to charity. It ends up being more
trouble than it's worth in the end, and is probably a flag to the IRS to
audit this person. Talk to your accountant about this for the real
story.

Personally, unless Harry works (and bills) 120 hours per week, I have a
hard time seeing how he makes a living anywhere in the US. Perhaps he's
independently wealthy. Billing $10/hour, after all taxes and overhead
are paid, results in something far less than minimum wage. If someone
doesn't *have* overhead, taxes or costs, then it's not a business, it's
a hobby.

The normal rule of thumb is that independent consultants can bill about
1000 hours per year. (Employees generally are rated at 2000 hours) The
rest is taken up with administrative work, new client development, and
non-billable hours. A consultant who really hauls a** can bill about
1500 hours per year, but any more than that means that you either have
no family life, or you're a candidate for burnout.

So to estimate an actual consulting wage, take that 1000 hours, multiply
by hourly rate, then subtract taxes (which vary depending on whether the
person is incorporated or not) and overhead, expenses for insurance,
office & utilities, advertising, travel, accountants, hardware &
software upgrades and all the niddly picky little things that cost so
much.

What's left over is what your consultant has to live on every year. Work
the figures backward, and you get what the consultant needs to charge to
make the living they want to make.

In large metropolitan areas in the US, rates generally go from $35 -
$150 per hour, with a few partners or large firms charging more.. Rural
areas are less, but then living costs are lower outside the cities.
Overseas is comparable, unless you outsource to India, where they charge
$10 - $12 US per hour.

Personally, I kept raising my rate after I started my business to reduce
my workload. I didn't want to stay on the cheap end of the spectrum, so
I upgraded my client list and my rates.

And surprisingly, all my clients seem to think I'm worth it. Not one of
them has left because I'm too expensive.

Lynn Allen
--
Allen & Allen Semiotics www.semiotics.com
FSA Associate Filemaker Design & Consulting

In article <MPG.1d48c30722c9eebd989c0e (AT) shawnews (DOT) vf.shawcable.net>, 42
<nospam (AT) nospam (DOT) com> wrote:

But if I talk to myself I might get taken away by the men in white
coats to a rubber room. )

Helpful Harry
Hopefully helping harassed humans happily handle handiwork hardships ;o)

In article <1h00pur.1grqp1t1406eyyN%lynn (AT) NOT-semiotics (DOT) com>,
lynn (AT) NOT-semiotics (DOT) com (Lynn allen) wrote:

Even if it was workable, I could still only write it off as $10 per
hour anyway since that's all I charge and all I have ever charged.
Putting my hourly rate up just for these "pretend" hours would likely
cause problems ... and certainly more paper work.

BUT,
I really couldn't be bothered with all the hassle and extra paper work
- the same reason I don't bother with depreciation of equipment, etc.
It makes my tax forms much easier to have a simple business income and
occasional expense.




I don't live in the US. No need to worry, I'm not "stealing" any of
your work. ;o)

It's not a hobby, but it is probably better termed part-time work and
semi-retirement (although some weeks I probably work more than many
full time employees). I have no idea how many hours a week I actually
work since I don't bother to even remotely keep track of it, but at a
guess I'd say it would be lucky if I charged for one-third of what I
actually work.

BUT,
I tend to be a perfectionist, so I might spend two hours "playing" with
(aka designing) a few buttons to look "perfect", but only charge 15mins
for the entire project since that's how long I think it SHOULD have
taken.


Helpful Harry
Hopefully helping harassed humans happily handle handiwork hardships ;o)

In article <1h00pur.1grqp1t1406eyyN%lynn (AT) NOT-semiotics (DOT) com>,
lynn (AT) NOT-semiotics (DOT) com (Lynn allen) wrote:
According to this New Zealand Government website
(http://www.ers.dol.govt.nz/pay/minimum.html), the minimum wage allowed
here for adults was raised on 25 March, 2005 to NZ$9.50 per hour -
that's only about US$6.50. So by appearances I'm working above minimum
wage. )

Of course, as with all Government / statistical figures, that's all
completely misleading and I'm not billing anywhere remotely near a
40-hours per week anyway.



Helpful Harry
Hopefully helping harassed humans happily handle handiwork hardships ;o)