For all you contractors here....

Hyperblaze

Lifer
May 31, 2001
10,027
1
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How much is normal to charge per hour for contract type work?

I've got to charge someone for some work I've done but not quite sure what the going contract rate is these days.

PS: If it makes any difference, this is in Ontario, Canada.

PS: No Canucks jokes Ross.
 

dug777

Lifer
Oct 13, 2004
24,778
4
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Work out what kinda salary you think you're worth, then work back to an hourly rate ;)
 

Hyperblaze

Lifer
May 31, 2001
10,027
1
81
Originally posted by: dug777
Work out what kinda salary you think you're worth, then work back to an hourly rate ;)

that's the problem...i don't know how much i'm "worth"

i've worked before for 20/hour on a contractor rate, but i'm not taking that as an example.

that particular guy has screwed me over more times then i can count. i don't trust him at all.

this new guy....i beleive to be honest, so i would really like to know how much i should charge.
 

Patt

Diamond Member
Jan 30, 2000
5,288
2
81
I live in Alberta, and people doing UNIX admin-type work as contractors are pulling 60-100/hour. $20/hour is chump change for someone with admin skills. Demand more.
 

EagleKeeper

Discussion Club Moderator<br>Elite Member
Staff member
Oct 30, 2000
42,589
5
0
Originally posted by: spidey07
I'd say about 60-70 USD per hour


Dream on - unless a lot of experience is under the belt and the company is having serious problems.



Best bet is to look at what salary range is being offered for that type of position and the experience level required. Then adjust your sights accordingly.
 

spidey07

No Lifer
Aug 4, 2000
65,469
5
76
Originally posted by: EagleKeeper
Originally posted by: spidey07
I'd say about 60-70 USD per hour


Dream on - unless a lot of experience is under the belt and the company is having serious problems.



Best bet is to look at what salary range is being offered for that type of position and the experience level required. Then adjust your sights accordingly.

I pay unix admin contractors much more, that was on the low end.

heck, PC contractors get 50-60/hr.
 

smittybg

Member
Jul 24, 2001
148
0
71
I live in Ohio and work for an electrical contractor
$75 first half Hour
$64 every hour after
 

Hyperblaze

Lifer
May 31, 2001
10,027
1
81
After reading all this, I think I'm just going to quit my part-time linux admin job. Pays like crap and really don't need the hassle.
 

91TTZ

Lifer
Jan 31, 2005
14,374
1
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Originally posted by: spidey07


I pay unix admin contractors much more, that was on the low end.

heck, PC contractors get 50-60/hr.

Where is this? In NJ/PA, a typical PC contractor makes about 10-15/hr. The company they consult for probably makes 50 an hour, but the employee only sees a fraction of that.

Look on Monster.com for a good idea of what companies are willing to pay. If you look at PC contracting jobs, you'll see that even getting $20 an hour is on the upper range of the scale.

Here are a few examples:

pc tech

another PC tech

and another

network admin
 

labgeek

Platinum Member
Jan 20, 2002
2,163
0
0
Originally posted by: dug777
Work out what kinda salary you think you're worth, then work back to an hourly rate ;)

And add insurance, all the expenses, the time between contracts, and everything else into the mix.

Does dice.com not have Can. jobs on it? That should be able to give you a good idea.
 

labgeek

Platinum Member
Jan 20, 2002
2,163
0
0
Originally posted by: Hyperblaze
Originally posted by: dug777
Work out what kinda salary you think you're worth, then work back to an hourly rate ;)
i've worked before for 20/hour on a contractor rate, but i'm not taking that as an example.

Are you VERY young? $20/hour (esp. Can $) is nothing.
 

Audiotherapy

Senior member
Apr 21, 2004
471
0
0
i know im getting screwed in the ass by my staffing company, im a contractor for a big telecom player i know they pay 60+hr for 1 hr of my work, i only get roughly 17 /hr from my staffing company.

 

Hyperblaze

Lifer
May 31, 2001
10,027
1
81
Originally posted by: labgeek
Originally posted by: Hyperblaze
Originally posted by: dug777
Work out what kinda salary you think you're worth, then work back to an hourly rate ;)
i've worked before for 20/hour on a contractor rate, but i'm not taking that as an example.

Are you VERY young? $20/hour (esp. Can $) is nothing.

i'm 28 with about 3-4 years of unix admin experience
 

91TTZ

Lifer
Jan 31, 2005
14,374
1
0
Originally posted by: audiotherapy
i know im getting screwed in the ass by my staffing company, im a contractor for a big telecom player i know they pay 60+hr for 1 hr of my work, i only get roughly 17 /hr from my staffing company.


That is normal where I live. The employee will only see a fraction of what the company is paying the contracting agency.
 

labgeek

Platinum Member
Jan 20, 2002
2,163
0
0
Originally posted by: Hyperblaze
Originally posted by: labgeek
Originally posted by: Hyperblaze
Originally posted by: dug777
Work out what kinda salary you think you're worth, then work back to an hourly rate ;)
i've worked before for 20/hour on a contractor rate, but i'm not taking that as an example.

Are you VERY young? $20/hour (esp. Can $) is nothing.

i'm 28 with about 3-4 years of unix admin experience


Is this a direct contract or are you negotiating with an agency?

 

Hyperblaze

Lifer
May 31, 2001
10,027
1
81
Originally posted by: labgeek
Originally posted by: Hyperblaze
Originally posted by: labgeek
Originally posted by: Hyperblaze
Originally posted by: dug777
Work out what kinda salary you think you're worth, then work back to an hourly rate ;)
i've worked before for 20/hour on a contractor rate, but i'm not taking that as an example.

Are you VERY young? $20/hour (esp. Can $) is nothing.

i'm 28 with about 3-4 years of unix admin experience


Is this a direct contract or are you negotiating with an agency?

direct contract.

it's like an on-call thing.
he calls me when he needs my assistance
 

labgeek

Platinum Member
Jan 20, 2002
2,163
0
0
And it's Unix Admin right? Not Linux... Don't get me wrong, I've been using Linux for a LONG time... But there are a lot of fresh out of college looking to get into jobs that claim Unix admin experience when what they've used is Linux. A company's not likely to turn over the keys to the HP Superdome, Sun Enterprise, etc. without some actual Unix admin skills at least not for anything but a junior position.
 

Hyperblaze

Lifer
May 31, 2001
10,027
1
81
Originally posted by: labgeek
And it's Unix Admin right? Not Linux... Don't get me wrong, I've been using Linux for a LONG time... But there are a lot of fresh out of college looking to get into jobs that claim Unix admin experience when what they've used is Linux. A company's not likely to turn over the keys to the HP Superdome, Sun Enterprise, etc. without some actual Unix admin skills at least not for anything but a junior position.

Working on Linux AND UNIX (redhat, mandrake, FreeBSD and solaris) machines
 

Doboji

Diamond Member
May 18, 2001
7,912
0
76
Originally posted by: Hyperblaze
Originally posted by: labgeek
Originally posted by: Hyperblaze
Originally posted by: dug777
Work out what kinda salary you think you're worth, then work back to an hourly rate ;)
i've worked before for 20/hour on a contractor rate, but i'm not taking that as an example.

Are you VERY young? $20/hour (esp. Can $) is nothing.

i'm 28 with about 3-4 years of unix admin experience

I figure you're worth about 75-85K... so I would ask for $35 per hour... that would be fair compensation for your experience level.

-Max
 

Hyperblaze

Lifer
May 31, 2001
10,027
1
81
Originally posted by: Doboji
Originally posted by: Hyperblaze
Originally posted by: labgeek
Originally posted by: Hyperblaze
Originally posted by: dug777
Work out what kinda salary you think you're worth, then work back to an hourly rate ;)
i've worked before for 20/hour on a contractor rate, but i'm not taking that as an example.

Are you VERY young? $20/hour (esp. Can $) is nothing.

i'm 28 with about 3-4 years of unix admin experience

I figure you're worth about 75-85K... so I would ask for $35 per hour... that would be fair compensation for your experience level.

-Max


that would hold true before the big high tech resession occured.

now I'm not so sure anymore.
 

labgeek

Platinum Member
Jan 20, 2002
2,163
0
0
Except for the Solaris, the other's would drop the rate some. There's just an abundance of people with that experience set. But the on-call would bump it up...

Sounds almost as if it's a sideline type of thing. In which case, it's changes the rules too. You'd need to figure out what the impact of taking it on is (how would it affect your being able to do other things since you could be at their beck and call), what they'd be willing to pay, and what you'd be willing to accept.

The higher rates being thrown around are more for contract positions (ie 8hr/day) or even contract to hire positions. When I was doing per call type of work (which was way back when), it was much more than you were getting from these people in the past.

If you've got real skills (ie troubleshooting, kernel tuning, etc.), you are almost definitely selling yourself short. The problem is now you've set a precedence, or does the new guy not know what you got previously? They might object to you trying to jump the rate up on them. Have a good argument for it if you do (ie. this is what I'd need to be able to ensure that abc co. continues to get my priority attention to matters). That could potentially give you another way to go if they balk. Well I could continue to do it for $x/hr but realize that my other contracts would have to take priority. BTW, very few customers no matter how little you charge will understand that customers paying more will get first dibs on your time. They will want it fixed, and quick.