Demand for contractors outside London to work in London

[Bunk]

Was just wondering if anybody else has experienced the same or if it is just in my field? Also is it the case that supply for these contracts must come from within Greater London or will they have to increase the rates to make it financially viable for contractors like myself to consider working there?

The thing is, if they increase rates to make it viable for you, the London contractors will start to go for those contracts and pocket the extra that you would spend on expenses. That's why it's expensive to live here.

[Ticktock]

That's my point - wouldn't it make sense to get a contract for significantly lower that is local and not have to effectively "throw away" 3 months of your life for it. £100/day doesn't really do it if you factor in the time off you have to take between contracts.... You are looking at more like £150/day at least.

If there were enough contracts in my local area then that would be fine. There aren't. I'm on one at the moment, the first local one I've managed to find (15 minute drive from home). However, I didn't take it for a "significantly lower" rate than I would charge in London.
In London I charge above what is commonly considered the going rate, whereas for this gig I am charging at about the average London rate even though it is in west Berks. My rate range is fairly tight (the lowest I'll go is about 10% down from my highest).
I know what the top level I can achieve is (and I'm thinking of trying to bump that come next gig), and I'll aim for that in London. I'm not willing to take a major cut down from that just because my travel is less - I'll take into consideration the rate advised to temper how close to my top rate I should pitch at, and then see whether they'll match that or at least come close.

I don't compete on price. That way lies a downward spiral to poverty.

[doodab]

I don't compete on price. That way lies a downward spiral to poverty.

Damn right. I always ask for top whack, usually try it on a bit as well. It means that there is room.for negotiation and when that's done it's a decent rate. No sense working for less than you're worth.

[The Spartan]

I'm not a Londoner and I do the Mon-Fri thing and go home on weekends and I've always got agents ringing me about contracts in London for Test Automation, I guess it depends on just how good you are as to whether or not you'll be considered.

[nomadd]

...whether London's market will ever be for other than Londoners..?

In my last 10 years of work - 90% of which has been in London - I'd say most of the local dev. teams have been made up of people shipped in from India or Singapore.

[nomadd]

Non-Londoners tend to be of inferior character and talent to Londoners - after all only the best are successful in London, since they have to compete with the best from around the world.

Wipro?

[vetran]

Non-Londoners tend to be of inferior character and talent to Londoners - after all only the best are successful in London, since they have to compete with the best from around the world.
Any fool can toodle along in some public-sector or provincial company contract outside the SE, only the best can thrive in the cauldron that is London.
That's why non-Londoners aren't usually considered for roles in London.

HTH.

Ahh so that's why you moved out

[Pogle]

I really don't see this problem.
I do not have an address on my CV, I have worked all over for the last 10 years and the agents that contact me are usually more relieved that they've found someone with the specific technology that i specialise in, to care about where i live.

I am currently working in London and thoroughly enjoying it. As long as my weekly expenses are < 1 days rate, i am happy.

[NickFitz]

I need more to work in London, or indeed anywhere sufficiently far away that I can't do a daily commute, but I never tell agents that: I always phrase it, and make them see it, in terms of being prepared to shave a bit off my normal rate for a gig close to home, because of reduced expenses. This means that, if and when they approach me about a gig far, far away, they don't see it as me trying to bump my rate up, just as being unable to offer a discount.

[Platypus]

Working in London is something I've often considered, but for me, unless the role was very well paid, the maths doesn't work.

It'd cost me £100 and 4 hours per day to commute. Up at 6am, back at 8pm would harm my health and social life. I'd be looking for at least £200 per day more to compensate for that. £300 would clinch it.

Frankly, my current rate + say £250 per day isn't going to happen.

A spell on the bench would no doubt reset my expectations