Access billing rates

[JRF]

I know this will be a very broad question in deed and lacks many of the
question specifics necessary for a realistic answer. And perhaps this may
not be the appropriate area to ask this.

What are general billing rates for MS Access developers, those that actually
code VB/VBA event driven procedures behind the application forms and within
the application? Is there a broad thumb rule for determining a billable
rates, aside from comparitive competition and rates.

 

[Albert D. Kallal]

I know this will be a very broad question in deed and lacks many of the
question specifics necessary for a realistic answer. And perhaps this may
not be the appropriate area to ask this.

What are general billing rates for MS Access developers, those that
actually code VB/VBA event driven procedures behind the application forms
and within the application? Is there a broad thumb rule for determining
a billable rates, aside from comparitive competition and rates.

The rate will vary from about $20 to $200 per hour depending on the type
work
you are doing, and the type of consulting skills and business advice you are
bringing to your client. Are you just doing some coding work, or are you
gathering requirements, building a functional specification,and then having
the
application developed to the clients needs? Are you advising them on how
to remotely use the application? Who is doing the software design,a nd then
who
is doing the coding part?

For example, the Voting machines used in the recent US election of course
use
a ms-access mdb file for storing votes..and those guys charge quite a bit
per hour...and yet they are using a ms-access mdb file to store your vote!
So, the rates vary a lot, and it is not much the fact that ms-access is
involved..but the type of work and systems you are delivering to your
client. As mentioned, clients really don't purchase ms-access, but they
simply purchase solutions, and thus the rates vary as much as the kind of
solution you are offering.

The government did not purchase ms-access, but in fact purchased voting
machines that happen to use ms-access mdb files to store the data.

It is extremely difficult to come up with JUST a rate for coding. Companies
generally do NOT purchase a ms-access developer, but purchase a solution
that
you offer. I don't think there is much work in *just* writing some code, as
a business needs so much more. However, it is possible that you in fact are
working for a software company that provides solutions, and many of those
solutions could be ms-access based (and, thus you would just be coding the
application for the software development firm...and not be doing any of the
business side of things). So, again, who you work for, and the environment
you
work under also can decide this issue.

The market for software developers is still very soft right now (companies
continue to outsource etc.).

You can read my thoughts on job for ms-access developers here
(I wrote this 3 years ago..but things remain the same).:
http://www.attcanada.net/~kallal.msn/Articles/fog0000000004.html

And, if you are looking for some rates...you can check out:

www.realrates.com

 

[box1102]

Thanks very much for the information.

The rate will vary from about $20 to $200 per hour depending on the type
work
you are doing, and the type of consulting skills and business advice you
are
bringing to your client. Are you just doing some coding work, or are you
gathering requirements, building a functional specification,and then
having the
application developed to the clients needs? Are you advising them on how
to remotely use the application? Who is doing the software design,a nd
then who
is doing the coding part?

For example, the Voting machines used in the recent US election of course
use
a ms-access mdb file for storing votes..and those guys charge quite a bit
per hour...and yet they are using a ms-access mdb file to store your vote!
So, the rates vary a lot, and it is not much the fact that ms-access is
involved..but the type of work and systems you are delivering to your
client. As mentioned, clients really don't purchase ms-access, but they
simply purchase solutions, and thus the rates vary as much as the kind of
solution you are offering.

The government did not purchase ms-access, but in fact purchased voting
machines that happen to use ms-access mdb files to store the data.

It is extremely difficult to come up with JUST a rate for coding.
Companies
generally do NOT purchase a ms-access developer, but purchase a solution
that
you offer. I don't think there is much work in *just* writing some code,
as
a business needs so much more. However, it is possible that you in fact
are
working for a software company that provides solutions, and many of those
solutions could be ms-access based (and, thus you would just be coding the
application for the software development firm...and not be doing any of
the
business side of things). So, again, who you work for, and the environment
you
work under also can decide this issue.

The market for software developers is still very soft right now (companies
continue to outsource etc.).

You can read my thoughts on job for ms-access developers here
(I wrote this 3 years ago..but things remain the same).:
http://www.attcanada.net/~kallal.msn/Articles/fog0000000004.html

And, if you are looking for some rates...you can check out:

www.realrates.com


--
Albert D. Kallal (Access MVP)
Edmonton, Alberta Canada
(e-mail address removed)
http://www.attcanada.net/~kallal.msn

 

[box1102]

Thanks for the information, it was helpful and invoked additional thought.
There is so much to consider when establishing a rate and it would appear
multiple rates are in order based on type of work, duration, etc...

Another site I was able to obtain rate information from was www.dice.com.

Thanks again.