A reasonable starting rate

[Diestl]

Depends on the project/technology/client, if its doing noddy new media websites with a few lines of server side code for a small 10 employee company then its a good rate. If it's a enterprise level web application in .NET using SQL server, web services with proper domain layer in C# for a Bank then its half of what you could get.

HTH

[chicane]

Cos MS is proper enterprise level technology stack and PHP / LAMP is for 1990's "Welcome to My Homepage" stuff.

HTH

Some of us working on enterprise level apps using the LAMP stack are doing very well thanks

[TheBigYinJames]

A good rate is what you are happy doing it for. Contracting is a young man's game, so it tends to contain a lot of 'willy-measuring'. My rate's bigger than yours, etc etc. I'm sure a lot of it is lies, fidding, exaggeration etc.

Another thing to remember is there will always be someone getting more than you. If you live your life worrying about that, then you're in for a bumpy one.

[TykeMerc]

It's not what I would call a decent rate for central London, but I've had multiple agents try to talk to me recently about London PM roles at £350 a day which a few months ago would have been £500+. Admittedly I wouldn't take them at £500

There's some belt tightening going on out there, if the role is interesting and the rate will keep you in the style to which you are accustomed it's worth considering in todays climate unless you can afford to wait for quite a while.

[Bagpuss]

A good rate is what you are happy doing it for. Contracting is a young man's game, so it tends to contain a lot of 'willy-measuring'. My rate's bigger than yours, etc etc. I'm sure a lot of it is lies, fidding, exaggeration etc.

You forgot...
My BTL portfolio is bigger than yours
My V8 is bigger than yours

[TheBigYinJames]

You forgot...
My BTL portfolio is bigger than yours
My V8 is bigger than yours

Or the Malvolio rant: My % of Take Home is bigger than yours