How are the prices for custom work usually calculated?

jonsidneyb

Well-known member
I know this is probably an impossible question to answer. I am guessing it is done on an hourly basis. What are the steps used to figure out what a ground up add-on should cost to have made?

I only ask as I am thinking about at looking around at who's can be hired. I am a bit afraid of going to low price offers as I don't know if the quality is there, if I go high priced I don't know if I am just paying extra. Not sure the best way to evaluate who to hire for custom work as well. I don't mind spending good money for good work.
 
The biggest help is if you understand the fundamentals of what is going on.

For example, an addon I have currently lined up is one that allows users to buy a sticky thread in a selected forum. They make a post, in the options have one to sticky it, which then takes them via paypal checkout and the thread is sticked for X ammount of days.

Break that down roughly.

Template edits to put purchase sticky option in.
Creation of code for the "on site checkout"
Integration of paypal api into the sticky checkout.
Coding of automatic cron jobs to sticky / unsticky as needed.
Admin work / reporting.

Now, from what is involved, I estimated a cost of around $250 as my budget for it. The actual amount quoted by the developer was $200 with a week turnaround time.

Hiring on an hourly rate is usually horrific to your wallet, especially since you can be looking at $35+ per hour... fortunately the developers look at it in the same light, for the most part and quote on a per job basis as they fit it in to match other projects.

Likewise, don't be shy about money, if you have a budget of $300 on a project which would be worth more, aproach various developers, tell them your budget, and see if they will work something out, you may find if they get to release the mod to the public, or have an extra few weeks time to fit it in around other projects they will be willing to negotiate.
 
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