Should i ask for more ?

[northernladuk]

I tend to think if you have to ask a question like this then the answer is no you shouldn't. When you have a good grasp on your business, it's finances, your delivery and your relationship with your client you will know and not need to ask.

[tranceporter]

Hi All,

So my contract 5 months - about to end. (But project not complete - Client needs about 3 more months to complete project)

Extension will definetly surface - (bUt i need more money) ... i recieve £xxx/day

Questions

How do i ask for more money

What rate should i ask for ? £xxx/day +£40 or £30 - or what do you reckon.

Have you been in same situation? if yes what was the outcome..

Thanks

The important question is: How close are you to the client? Do you know your manager (or whoever controls the budget) well enough, to freely discuss your existing rate? That's what I did in my current and previous gigs. Once you can speak freely with the client, you can tell him "I am getting xxx per day. Do you know how much you actually pay for me?" Once you know that figure, you know the agency's real margin. Then you justify to the client how you handle your expenses, and how you could use a bit more money to save on travel costs etc. In my case, I travel from Swindon to London Paddington, and a season ticket costs me about £40 per day return fare. So if the client candidly discusses all of the above, he will be willing to negotiate if his budget allows, and if he appreciates your contribution to the project and values your presence. This can mean cut in agency's margin, or the client bumping the total price he pays for you per day, which means you can approach the agency, and tell them straight in the face, that you want a rise of £xx, because the client has agreed to do so, and that you have directly negotiated with the client. This also means that the agency will not be able to fob you off, by taking in more margin, as per the new rate. If you are thinking of going via the agency to ask for a rise in the daily rate, I would not be too hopeful, because you never know how much increase the client actually allowed, and whether the agency is still taking the same margin, or raking in more margin, and giving you tulip raise in daily rate. HTH.

[kaiser78]

Hi All,

So my contract 5 months - about to end. (But project not complete - Client needs about 3 more months to complete project)

Extension will definetly surface - (bUt i need more money) ... i recieve £xxx/day

Questions

How do i ask for more money

What rate should i ask for ? £xxx/day +£40 or £30 - or what do you reckon.

Have you been in same situation? if yes what was the outcome..

Thanks

Simple answer is to work out what you think you are worth, request it formally (backed up by sufficient justification), if the answer is no then walk.

[LisaContractorUmbrella]

Are your skills readily available to the agency from another contractor - if the answer's yes and you ask for more money they will probably just replace you; if you have a skill set which is rare and in high demand you'll probably get the rate increase

[rurffy]

Thanks all for your comments! .
Nice chopping board!

[lukemg]

Just scored another 20/day BUT this was after 13 months, I know the 'insultancy' is working on a chunky markup and I had to get a bit terse with the bell who was sorting it out.
I did NOT try to make any justification related to expenses, responsibility etc etc.
I did NOT make any threats, ultimatums or other posturing/painting into a corner.
I simply said when a renewal was first mentioned that I had been there over a year, can you look at increasing the rate, I am looking for 5%.
Tried to fob me off, then ignored it, I sent a note detailing my dissappointment in how this was handled and they sorted it. End of the day it's 4000 a year for getting a little acerbic. someone on 20k would be astonished to get that much of a bump....
I almost certainly wouldn't ask after 5 months unless I wanted to leave or they were desperate for me to stay....