What discount/rate would you offer for working from home?

[d000hg]

By which I mean, 100% remote working, guaranteed. I'm trying to work out if a project I'm running can afford to use people in the UK. Previously I've found people in cheap countries and it's worked fairly well, I don't have a problem using them for pure development work while I do a combined architecture, lead developer & team manager role. However if the project grows I won't have the time to do any coding and would need a lead developer who doesn't just write code, but can be trusted to implement a feature from the spec without needing me to outline how he should go about it in code.

So would you work on a lower rate for 100% remote working? If you had a choice between one 9-5 role with a 40min commute offering £X, and a remote position needing 8 hours work per day without any fixed working hours (work 4pm-midnight if you want), how little could the remote position offer and still be the one you pick? Mention % only, or actual £rates, it's just a straw poll to give me an idea.

[ASB]

Personally I always charge the same. Also there is possible benefit for the client in terms of increased productivity.

[Moscow Mule]

A couple of %.

[fckvwls]

I would charge in rupees.

[VectraMan]

I might be inclined to work for 50% less if the only alternative was staying away all week and a long trip to get there and I couldn't get anything else. But more realistically, 40 minutes wouldn't bother me much as a commute so I'd consider more than 10% less would be the client taking the piss. And that's assuming I'd started on that rate; I wouldn't be happy about the client insisting on that for an extension.

[d000hg]

Interesting. Replies so far all from people only interested in the bottom line, intriguing to see if they remain the majority or if we'll see many "money is not the most important thing" posts from those with families etc.

[nomadd]

Interesting. Replies so far all from people only interested in the bottom line, intriguing to see if they remain the majority or if we'll see many "money is not the most important thing" posts from those with families etc.

I've no debts, no family. Still, I'd certainly accept 10-20% lower rate to work from home. Mind you, that's from a fairly sensible rate in the first place. Most of these "work from home" jobs on Jobserve are just a scam: i.e. 50% off an already lousy rate.

I've worked from home 1 or 2 days a week on previous jobs and that has also suited me fine. Mind you, that was with zero rate reduction.

Nomadd

[thunderlizard]

No discount up front, because I wouldn't want people thinking that working on client site is the norm and working from own office is a cut-price alternative. Might consider it privately as part of negotiation if forced that way.

[xchaotic]

I would charge the same claiming lower costs for the client (not having to pay for the office space, broadband, electricity there etc)
Recently there was a discussion that if you work from home occasionally, usually the enterprise client still pays the overhead office cost, but if we're talking 100% from you clearly can save up on the office costs.
On the other hand a contractor charges for expertise, experience and his home office costs.
The only way these cost would go lower is when the contractor is located where it's cheaper to live, which you already noticed.

[d000hg]

No discount up front, because I wouldn't want people thinking that working on client site is the norm and working from own office is a cut-price alternative.

I'd try and present it the other way round, in the shoes of a contractor who didn't want to commute... working from my premises is the norm and I charge an excess to work on client site.