Mike // DFCLStudio
Member
From my experience, all clients want flat rates as:
A- they have a budget to meet.
B- so that they can abuse you with changes.
Based on that you need to use a contract to cover your ass aginst the latter, and accurately make numbers to agree with the the former also having a surplus.
It is variable how long a project will take, depending on how inspiring it is, how inspired you are, how good or bad is the raw material you are given, multiplied times the people is involved (not every firm is a one man band).
If you add to that currency fluctuation -I've got clients from Spain and US- and your fixed expenses ( I know that Tim is quite young, but most of us will like at least to pay a rent that can put you off a grand a month if you are in London ) you will find soon that £30 an hour is sort of OK.
And I forgot saying that if you are doing all legal, you will need to pay back a 20% average in taxes, so if it is a £30 gross, you are taking of only £24 of net income after taxes.
Unless you would manage to get full time contract all year through -which is not that far away of being a fulltime employee- you will find yourself far away from rich....
My bottom line is that when you see it from closer it is NEVER that simple. ; )
A- they have a budget to meet.
B- so that they can abuse you with changes.
Based on that you need to use a contract to cover your ass aginst the latter, and accurately make numbers to agree with the the former also having a surplus.
It is variable how long a project will take, depending on how inspiring it is, how inspired you are, how good or bad is the raw material you are given, multiplied times the people is involved (not every firm is a one man band).
If you add to that currency fluctuation -I've got clients from Spain and US- and your fixed expenses ( I know that Tim is quite young, but most of us will like at least to pay a rent that can put you off a grand a month if you are in London ) you will find soon that £30 an hour is sort of OK.
And I forgot saying that if you are doing all legal, you will need to pay back a 20% average in taxes, so if it is a £30 gross, you are taking of only £24 of net income after taxes.
Unless you would manage to get full time contract all year through -which is not that far away of being a fulltime employee- you will find yourself far away from rich....
My bottom line is that when you see it from closer it is NEVER that simple. ; )