How I make money as a web developer

The way I charge is a mix of project based work and retainers with the odd hourly charge thrown in for good measure.

When I started out as a web developer back in 2011 I would charge my clients by the hour. I would keep a log of the time I spent on each project and then bill the client at the end of the month. This was a good way to start out as I was able to build up a client base and get some experience under my belt.

As I got more experienced, I realised that charging by the hour was not the best way to go. I was getting quicker and more efficient at my job, but still charging the same rate. So I switched over to project based work and retainers.

Why bill for projects, not hours?

In a nutshell, clients have a tendancy to question every minute of your work when you charge by the hour. They want to know what you are doing and why it is taking so long. Even something as simple as an image change can take longer than you think!

The client may see it as a five minute job but it can take 20 minutes to get it perfect. Resolution, size, format, all these things need to be taken into account. Then conversion to webp easily handled with an Astro site though!

We all know by now the analogy of how a plumber charges for work right? They charge a callout fee and a flat rate no matter how long it takes. This is because they know what they are doing and exactly what buttons to press to make sure your boiler keeps doing its thing.

It’s the same with web development. I know what button to press when your website goes down. I know how to remove code from a hacked website and I know how to build websites from scratch using optimised code and images. You do not, that is why you are coming to me for help.

If your website goes offline, you are losing money every minute it is down. You need someone who can get it back up and running as quickly as possible. You don’t want someone who is going to take their time and charge you for every minute they spend on it.

I can’t imagine having an hourly rate of £100, a job only taking me 10 minutes because my years of skill has shown me where to look, then only charging you for 10 minutes. I would be out of business in no time! I am sure in your business, you wouldn’t do that either. So please respect your developer!