What do Rev programmers charge per hour for programming?

[Bill Marriott]

Charles,

> What do Rev programmers charge per hour for programming?

In addition to my plug for RunRev Platinum support, I wanted to address your 
question from a different angle. The issue of "what to charge" comes up 
frequently with any programming task. I've heard lots of rules of thumb, 
such as "charge what you think you want to make annually divided by 1,000." 
The answer might vary depending on whether you're seeking to purchase 
programming time, or sell it.

For my personal consulting, I almost never charge hourly for development, 
whether it is for marketing materials or database work or Revolution code. 
Instead I issue a quote on a project basis. The reason for this is that 
development is not a linear, on/off process for me. I do obtain detailed 
requirements, size up a project in my head, and then estimate how much time 
it will take for me to accomplish the task. If it takes longer, then that's 
on me; if it takes shorter, then I can be proud of my efficiency. The rate 
also depends on what I think the client can afford, how difficult they will 
be to work with, and the prospects for a long-term arrangement.

I do charge hourly for training and other activities where I'll be, for 
example, on the phone or in a room with people. A lot of people I work with 
on FileMaker, for example, don't just want a template they can use; they 
want to understand how it works. They couldn't build it in the first place, 
because they don't understand table occurrences and relationships, so it 
actually takes a lot more time to "explain" than to "do." Works out well for 
me, since the phone calls take longer than the coding. Then again, some of 
the most difficult clients are those who know "enough to be dangerous" and 
want to do it their own way, even if it doesn't work very well. If someone's 
going to ask me to integrate something into their existing work, I usually 
charge more than if I am doing it (the "right" way) from scratch.

The RunRev rate of $129/hr is quite standard for skilled, experienced 
developers. But as you are beginning to see, the rate isn't the most 
important element. Developer A might charge $129/hr, and estimate 20 hours. 
Developer B might charge $75/hr, but it will take them 40 hours. So the 
higher rate is actually cheaper. Then there's the question of quality. One 
rule of thumb you've probably heard before: "Good, fast, cheap. Pick two."

Having said that, you can probably find the best rates if you go to a site 
like Guru.com. Just write up your spec and see what bids come in; there's 
quite a bit of competition for projects. You'll get a good idea of their 
competency by reading their responses carefully. In the past, people have 
also made requests directly on the use-list for help with projects.

Good luck,

- Bill