What's the minimum rate you would work for, away from home?

[alluvial]

In the UK or in Europe.

Is it worthwhile working away from home for £300/day? What if there's a 4 hour drive each way (so ~£100 petrol for the week) and hotel costs of £50/night. Then your other costs like food etc.

After costs & tax you might walk away with, what, £150 a day, annualised to £35,000.

And the fact that you're away from home all week, away from the family and friends.

There has to be a cut-off point right?

I've often thought that the rate for the role should be the same wherever it may be based. If you decide that what you do is worth £400pd, then that is what you should quote regardless of location. However, I do think that somewhere like London makes a difference. Being London, taking a gig there introduces extra costs that don't arise in most other places and so I'd be wanting a fair amount more for it.

I just got a call for a role in central London at £350pd which after living costs, travel, tax and NI wouldn't leave a whole lot. I'd probably end up sitting in tube stations with a cup and a sign saying "Will do business analysis for food".

[SimonMac]

I've often thought that the rate for the role should be the same wherever it may be based. If you decide that what you do is worth £400pd, then that is what you should quote regardless of location. However, I do think that somewhere like London makes a difference. Being London, taking a gig there introduces extra costs that don't arise in most other places and so I'd be wanting a fair amount more for it.

I just got a call for a role in central London at £350pd which after living costs, travel, tax and NI wouldn't leave a whole lot. I'd probably end up sitting in tube stations with a cup and a sign saying "Will do business analysis for food".

I think most people have an idea of what they are worth, what they would take for doing a certain role but most have a premium for working away or in certain locations (read environments), just as someones skills are a factor in the market the location of the job is too. I have been approached for a job in Newcastle where they can get away with paying peanuts because the living costs etc are perceived to be lower.

Best rate wise I have had was a London rate in Surrey well out side the M25, in hindsight it was a crap environment so they needed to pay the extra to make people stay.

[MarillionFan]

Interesting responses. For me the rate is not the driver, but actually my take home after travel/accomodation expenses.

So a local gig for £350p/d say is better than a gig 100 miles away for £425p/d as the cost of accomodation /travel will bring it back down to the £350p/d & I would incur additional time travelling. It's effectively a combination of the best profit I can make for my LTD but with a strong consideration for maximising my take home.

If you have dependents, then locality / time to travel is a consideration(especially when they are young), if you have no dependents then it's less of a priority.

[ChimpMaster]

Interesting responses. For me the rate is not the driver, but actually my take home after travel/accomodation expenses.
<snip>
If you have dependents, then locality / time to travel is a consideration(especially when they are young), if you have no dependents then it's less of a priority.

I suppose that's the crux of the conversation. It has to be worthwhile in some way: financially, or family, or learning.

Clients will see the rate as be all and end all, but for the contractor it's what ends up in your pocket that counts. I wouldn't work abroad for less than something like £800/day (not that I'll ever get that abroad), unless there were mitigating factors like moving out there with the family. But I'll work locally for £400/day if I have the option to.

Understandably, bench time can influence any decision. In many cases one would rather be earning than sitting at home.

[Scoobos]

This time last year I'd say I wouldnt get out of bed for less than 350 - unless the contract had something on top of money to offer.

After 8 months bench time, with my product less in demand - I'm doing 210 a day 20 mins drive away and its soul destroying.

My problem isn't so much rate, as the job at hand, maybe its me, maybe its contractors in general - but I'm driven to challenge myself in everything I do and strive for 1st class output. Working somewhere that's a joke, for a client that doesn't understand the massive risks he's putting his own clients into - is something I'm finding hard to bear.

But then I'm clearing 800 per week in a continent that seems to be having a recession of magnitude that i've never witnessed (born in 70's)

I think it's a balance between rate and keeping the (stupid in most cases) agents from looking at gaps and binning your CV.

[MarillionFan]

I suppose that's the crux of the conversation. It has to be worthwhile in some way: financially, or family, or learning.

Clients will see the rate as be all and end all, but for the contractor it's what ends up in your pocket that counts. I wouldn't work abroad for less than something like £800/day (not that I'll ever get that abroad), unless there were mitigating factors like moving out there with the family. But I'll work locally for £400/day if I have the option to.

Understandably, bench time can influence any decision. In many cases one would rather be earning than sitting at home.

I like to plan a year ahead, so I set out my expectations for income at the beginning of the year and try to hit it. Once I've hit it(or can see how I will hit it) I react accordingly. I've always been lucky with bench time though.

[Mupps]

I've had just this dilemma this week.

I've just taken a gig for £400pd fricken 300 miles away up north. I have since been offered one for 350 per day 30 miles from home....

The 400 gig is worthwhile, interesting and longterm and will be good for my CV. The 350 gig will be shorter, likely a bit tulip and not much use to me longterm and might be a bit fickle and suddenly end due to impending financial crisis in the world..

I've chosen to sit where i am and ride this one out at the higher rate, although they would both probably balance out to the same take home by a mix of paranoia or more poverty and uncertainty and a sort of big picture view... Normally i would work for 450 per day, but i spent 2 months on the bench going nuts and running out of money.. I've got a finely tuned financial situation where we've recently done up the house and spent all our cash so i don't have any big reserves.

dunno though, it's grim up north and i miss my kids...

maybe i'll sit this one out and wait until the market picks up then get back to 450...

[d000hg]

It's all about the take home, and the quality of accommodation. I'd not mind spending 1/3 of my income on a London gig if it meant I could stay in a modern 1-bed/studio in zone 1.

[NorthWestPerm2Contr]

I've had just this dilemma this week.

I've just taken a gig for £400pd fricken 300 miles away up north. I have since been offered one for 350 per day 30 miles from home....

The 400 gig is worthwhile, interesting and longterm and will be good for my CV. The 350 gig will be shorter, likely a bit tulip and not much use to me longterm and might be a bit fickle and suddenly end due to impending financial crisis in the world..

I've chosen to sit where i am and ride this one out at the higher rate, although they would both probably balance out to the same take home by a mix of paranoia or more poverty and uncertainty and a sort of big picture view... Normally i would work for 450 per day, but i spent 2 months on the bench going nuts and running out of money.. I've got a finely tuned financial situation where we've recently done up the house and spent all our cash so i don't have any big reserves.

dunno though, it's grim up north and i miss my kids...

maybe i'll sit this one out and wait until the market picks up then get back to 450...

What area do you specialise in?

[EternalOptimist]

350 pd
or I might go down to 300 if things were dire