“Surely there comes a time when counting the cost and paying the price aren't things to think about any more. All that matters is value - the ultimate value of what one does." – James Hilton

Money is perhaps one of the most important subjects that needs to be discussed right up front. Of course you want to know what it is going to cost you to have me on your team.

In business, everyone should be paid for what they do and what value they bring to a project. I charge what I need to stay in business, pay my bills and put some money aside. I can't or won't work with anyone who thinks that isn't a good idea. After all, I need to stay in business so that the next time you need me for something, I'll be here. Anyone can discount and get work, but it is an unsustainable game. It is simply unhealthy for them and for you.

I do set up retainers for clients who prefer them, but most of my work is done on a project-by-project basis. Typically a client will contact me with something they need done, describe what they can of it and I'll do my best to flesh out whatever information is missing and provide an estimate. All work is billed on a time plus materials basis and I can usually get fairly close. I have literally thousands of projects in my wake and I can fairly judge how much time and materials something will take.

I often include a list of assumptions about the project so that the client can understand my perceptions. Often the client uses my assumptions to realize the scope of the project themselves. If any of the assumptions are incorrect they can provide a better description and get an even more accurate estimate. My estimates are usually done by my office manager and wife Lyn. She uses tried and true formulas and can be more accurate than my attempts.

These estimates are not crystal-ball perfection. Deviations from the original plan or specifications will result in changes in costs. An estimate is not a quote. Every project is custom and therefore fluctuation can be expected. The biggest boogyman is what I call "scope creep." A project starts out as something straightforward but along the way more features or requirements are added until it becomes an entirely different project. That's when one might expect an entirely different invoice.

I always try to keep the client informed that a project is increasing in scope, but it can be difficult to continually provide estimates as a project changes. Estimates take time to re-figure. If I spend time reworking estimates I add that time to the invoice. I cannot give away my time as it is my only commodity.

I will discount for agencies and other resellers. But my rates are relatively meaningless to most clients because nearly all assignments are estimated as a project. To some my numbers might seem high, but they are actually quite modest in comparision to other top professionals. If you have any doubts, please check out my testimonials below.

If you are shopping by price, you still might find me more reasonably priced than someone charging far less per hour, because I am extremely proficient at everything I do. Then again, if you are shopping solely on price alone I may not be the right candidate for your project at all.

My clients hire me for the value I bring, not because I'm inexpensive. Contact me and let's discuss it.