Increasing rate for working/staying away from home

[DaveB]

If I get calls from pimps asking about my rate I always tell them it is open to negotiation based on role and location. I typically give them a range spanning £200 per day between what I would take for a home based or local commute gig and one that inviolved staying away. The closer they get to the top rate, the more likely I am to consider it.

Work out what it's worth to you and negotiate from there.

[Dark Black]

Hi, thanks for the input.

For the record, my normal local rate expectations are normal/typical for my area of expertise, so no I'm not pricing myself out of the market locally. Not wanting to price myself out for roles further afield that require a stay away is the reason for asking the question.

As far as not finding work locally, it's a simply a case of there not being anything for my skillset (unusual, it's funny year), regardless of rate. Where is there an average rate of only 300pd outside London, is that for web stuff or something? - I've not seen anything that low since the last decade (aside from HP ).

It's usually the client that determines the rate based on their budget and then the agent is taking a cut. There is usually a margin for negotiation based on how saturated the market is and how urgent is the client requirement, but not based on you having to commute or stay over.

You mentioned that you are struggling to find work for quite a while, neither agents nor clients like this, yet you are thinking about pricing yourself out of the market even further by asking for £5-10/h more, that's like £40-80pd with average rate outside London being what, £300pd so 13-25% on top, suuuure?

Sorry to be blunt but beggars can't be choosers. Seems like your unreasonable expectations in regards to day rate might be part of the problem why you are struggling to find work in the first place

[Intel]

My general rule:

Commutable in under an hour - standard day rate.
Anything else - +£100pd
London - Wouldn't do it for any rate.

[northernladuk]

My general rule:

Commutable in under an hour - standard day rate.
Anything else - +£100pd
London - Wouldn't do it for any rate.

100 quid a day which is going to be around 20-25% extra on the day rate when you can get hotels or Airbnb places for less than 50 and get tax relief on it as well? How often does that work out for you? That seems a lot.

[eek]

My rules.

1) Check location...
2) work out cost of being in that location.
3) Check market rate and confirm rate client is likely to pay..

4) Decide if it makes sense to look at the contract based on costs and rate (this will depend on need for income, current level of boredom and the level of interest I have in that skillset / client / project) and then quote an acceptable rate for that agent and that client....

Rates are determined by market forces. All you can do is decide if your costs allow you to work in that location....

[Intel]

That's the standard rate I've charged since I started about 2.5 years ago. Day rate is £500 up north, £600 down south. If the gig isn't at the rate I don't take it. If I'm going to the trouble of staying away I'm staying at the Hilton or somewhere else with decent room service..

Admittedly I work more on a consultancy basis than on long term gigs so mainly a month or two at a time with a core client who gets me doing projects for them on a regular basis.

Not had any unintended bench time.

[pr1]

My question is this, how much do you guys usually increase your normal rate to take into account accommodation etc?

Are you implying that you don't charge as much as you think the client will pay for your local contract(s)? How noble of you

[northernladuk]

My rules.

1) Check location...
2) work out cost of being in that location.
3) Check market rate and confirm rate client is likely to pay..

4) Decide if it makes sense to look at the contract based on costs and rate (this will depend on need for income, current level of boredom and the level of interest I have in that skillset / client / project) and then quote an acceptable rate for that agent and that client....

Rates are determined by market forces. All you can do is decide if your costs allow you to work in that location....

This is what I did have said. I'd also I'd amount of time on bench and how long I'd spend if I didn't take it but I guess that's covered in item 4. Turning down 50 quid less to spend another month on the bench doesn't really make sense so gotta be pragmatic.

[LondonManc]

100 quid a day which is going to be around 20-25% extra on the day rate when you can get hotels or Airbnb places for less than 50 and get tax relief on it as well? How often does that work out for you? That seems a lot.

While it seems a lot, he seems well acquainted with the M6 through Cheshire and the M62 over the Pennines. Personally I'd rather contract in London than do a 100 mile a day round trip on the roads in the North West.

[Intel]

While it seems a lot, he seems well acquainted with the M6 through Cheshire and the M62 over the Pennines. Personally I'd rather contract in London than do a 100 mile a day round trip on the roads in the North West.

I got rather sick of being on first name terms with the staff at Warwick services.....

All about location, lucky to be 40 minutes train ride from either Manchester or Leeds and 50 minutes drive from Sheffield. Tons of work at the moment in my field and the southern work is where the gig has been fun or new tech.

I'd go to Liverpool but I'd have to add another £200 a day onto the rate for replacement car bits.....