Business Trips: charging for weekends?
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I've been doing some international traveling lately for a client and have so far come up with this pricing structure. (hourly rate is as per standard rate at local office) -2 hours airport time -outbound flying time (6 hours) -normal business time while in foreign country (repeat for a couple weeks) -2 hours airport time -inbound flying time (6 hours) Now, my big question is, is it fair to charge for 8*2 hours over weekends while away? Substantiation would be: time away from family/other businesses/other clients. An alternate approach could be to up the hourly rate by say 20% on the same above basis and then *not* charge for weekends. Thoughts?
Cheers, Simon > company:: Broken Keyboards Software > VS add for delicious BKS-Delicious > skype :: SimonMStewart > CV :: PDF
Absolutely Fare. Away From Home Subsistance. We once had to employ an expert in Soil Contamination and Chemical Impregnations when trying to push through planning permission on an old airfield site. He charged us £70 per hour. FOR SLEEPING. Yep, because he was away from home, he wanted to claim that! Since he was charging £700 per hour whilst working, we demurred and paid! So yes, a Subsistance weekend charge is fine.
------------------------------------ "I want you to imagine I have a blaster in my hand" - Zaphod Beeblebrox. "You DO have a blaster in your hand" - Freighter Pilot "Yeah, so you don't have to tax your imagination too hard" - Zaphod Beeblebrox
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Absolutely Fare. Away From Home Subsistance. We once had to employ an expert in Soil Contamination and Chemical Impregnations when trying to push through planning permission on an old airfield site. He charged us £70 per hour. FOR SLEEPING. Yep, because he was away from home, he wanted to claim that! Since he was charging £700 per hour whilst working, we demurred and paid! So yes, a Subsistance weekend charge is fine.
------------------------------------ "I want you to imagine I have a blaster in my hand" - Zaphod Beeblebrox. "You DO have a blaster in your hand" - Freighter Pilot "Yeah, so you don't have to tax your imagination too hard" - Zaphod Beeblebrox
Won't be charging for sleeping, although that would be perfect ... :-) The customer is paying all expenses (hotel, food, laundry, etc...) btw.
Cheers, Simon > company:: Broken Keyboards Software > VS add for delicious BKS-Delicious > skype :: SimonMStewart > CV :: PDF
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Won't be charging for sleeping, although that would be perfect ... :-) The customer is paying all expenses (hotel, food, laundry, etc...) btw.
Cheers, Simon > company:: Broken Keyboards Software > VS add for delicious BKS-Delicious > skype :: SimonMStewart > CV :: PDF
I understand, but time away is usually charged. Not necessarily at the full rate as you arent working, but there is usually a adiscretionary allowance for being away from home.
------------------------------------ "I want you to imagine I have a blaster in my hand" - Zaphod Beeblebrox. "You DO have a blaster in your hand" - Freighter Pilot "Yeah, so you don't have to tax your imagination too hard" - Zaphod Beeblebrox
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I've been doing some international traveling lately for a client and have so far come up with this pricing structure. (hourly rate is as per standard rate at local office) -2 hours airport time -outbound flying time (6 hours) -normal business time while in foreign country (repeat for a couple weeks) -2 hours airport time -inbound flying time (6 hours) Now, my big question is, is it fair to charge for 8*2 hours over weekends while away? Substantiation would be: time away from family/other businesses/other clients. An alternate approach could be to up the hourly rate by say 20% on the same above basis and then *not* charge for weekends. Thoughts?
Cheers, Simon > company:: Broken Keyboards Software > VS add for delicious BKS-Delicious > skype :: SimonMStewart > CV :: PDF
You could charge them a nominal fee (say about 10 or 20% of the regular charge) for your time spent at the client's place during weekends. I don't see anything wrong in that.
Nobody can give you wiser advice than yourself. - Cicero .·´¯`·->Rajesh<-·´¯`·. Microsoft MVP - Visual C++[^]
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You could charge them a nominal fee (say about 10 or 20% of the regular charge) for your time spent at the client's place during weekends. I don't see anything wrong in that.
Nobody can give you wiser advice than yourself. - Cicero .·´¯`·->Rajesh<-·´¯`·. Microsoft MVP - Visual C++[^]
Even if one doesn't do any work over a business trip weekend? mmm, I guess that's fair. Obviously I wouldn't want to stay away from home for too long, so I want to charge them a decent amount to prevent/discourage this.
Cheers, Simon > company:: Broken Keyboards Software > VS add for delicious BKS-Delicious > skype :: SimonMStewart > CV :: PDF
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I've been doing some international traveling lately for a client and have so far come up with this pricing structure. (hourly rate is as per standard rate at local office) -2 hours airport time -outbound flying time (6 hours) -normal business time while in foreign country (repeat for a couple weeks) -2 hours airport time -inbound flying time (6 hours) Now, my big question is, is it fair to charge for 8*2 hours over weekends while away? Substantiation would be: time away from family/other businesses/other clients. An alternate approach could be to up the hourly rate by say 20% on the same above basis and then *not* charge for weekends. Thoughts?
Cheers, Simon > company:: Broken Keyboards Software > VS add for delicious BKS-Delicious > skype :: SimonMStewart > CV :: PDF
I would not charge for weekends. Unless I was in a place with nothing to do. Then I'd *work* and charge for weekends.
Christian Graus No longer a Microsoft MVP, but still happy to answer your questions.
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I've been doing some international traveling lately for a client and have so far come up with this pricing structure. (hourly rate is as per standard rate at local office) -2 hours airport time -outbound flying time (6 hours) -normal business time while in foreign country (repeat for a couple weeks) -2 hours airport time -inbound flying time (6 hours) Now, my big question is, is it fair to charge for 8*2 hours over weekends while away? Substantiation would be: time away from family/other businesses/other clients. An alternate approach could be to up the hourly rate by say 20% on the same above basis and then *not* charge for weekends. Thoughts?
Cheers, Simon > company:: Broken Keyboards Software > VS add for delicious BKS-Delicious > skype :: SimonMStewart > CV :: PDF
For every seconds you are not on the normal business path, the employer owes you. If they do not give you a daily allowance, then I would charge for flight time at overtime rate, else get them to book you flights during business hours.
xacc.ide - now with TabsToSpaces support
IronScheme - 1.0 alpha 4a out now (29 May 2008) -
I've been doing some international traveling lately for a client and have so far come up with this pricing structure. (hourly rate is as per standard rate at local office) -2 hours airport time -outbound flying time (6 hours) -normal business time while in foreign country (repeat for a couple weeks) -2 hours airport time -inbound flying time (6 hours) Now, my big question is, is it fair to charge for 8*2 hours over weekends while away? Substantiation would be: time away from family/other businesses/other clients. An alternate approach could be to up the hourly rate by say 20% on the same above basis and then *not* charge for weekends. Thoughts?
Cheers, Simon > company:: Broken Keyboards Software > VS add for delicious BKS-Delicious > skype :: SimonMStewart > CV :: PDF
20-25% of a working day sounds reasonable for each non working day. Upping your daily rate by 20% wouldn't be consistent - e.g. Monday and Friday versus Monday to Monday. Elaine :rose:
Visit http://www.notreadytogiveup.com/[^] and do something special today.
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I would not charge for weekends. Unless I was in a place with nothing to do. Then I'd *work* and charge for weekends.
Christian Graus No longer a Microsoft MVP, but still happy to answer your questions.
That makes sense. Thanks for the input. Trust me ... there is *nothing* to do here! :-|
Cheers, Simon > company:: Broken Keyboards Software > VS add for delicious BKS-Delicious > skype :: SimonMStewart > CV :: PDF
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20-25% of a working day sounds reasonable for each non working day. Upping your daily rate by 20% wouldn't be consistent - e.g. Monday and Friday versus Monday to Monday. Elaine :rose:
Visit http://www.notreadytogiveup.com/[^] and do something special today.
My thinking about weekend charging is twofold I guess. 1. soft way of suggesting to client that work gets done during a week, and they fly me home *before* weekend 2. compensation for time away from family, xbox, et al.
Cheers, Simon > company:: Broken Keyboards Software > VS add for delicious BKS-Delicious > skype :: SimonMStewart > CV :: PDF
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I would not charge for weekends. Unless I was in a place with nothing to do. Then I'd *work* and charge for weekends.
Christian Graus No longer a Microsoft MVP, but still happy to answer your questions.
Christian Graus wrote:
Then I'd *work* and charge for weekends.
I guess an issue could come in when the company's offices aren't open to allow me to do enough work over the weekend to compensate.
Cheers, Simon > company:: Broken Keyboards Software > VS add for delicious BKS-Delicious > skype :: SimonMStewart > CV :: PDF
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Even if one doesn't do any work over a business trip weekend? mmm, I guess that's fair. Obviously I wouldn't want to stay away from home for too long, so I want to charge them a decent amount to prevent/discourage this.
Cheers, Simon > company:: Broken Keyboards Software > VS add for delicious BKS-Delicious > skype :: SimonMStewart > CV :: PDF
SimonS wrote:
I wouldn't want to stay away from home for too long, so I want to charge them a decent amount to prevent/discourage this.
That was exactly my point. Also, as Christian said, if you could work on the weekends too, then you might work and charge them the full amount.
Nobody can give you wiser advice than yourself. - Cicero .·´¯`·->Rajesh<-·´¯`·. Microsoft MVP - Visual C++[^]
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I've been doing some international traveling lately for a client and have so far come up with this pricing structure. (hourly rate is as per standard rate at local office) -2 hours airport time -outbound flying time (6 hours) -normal business time while in foreign country (repeat for a couple weeks) -2 hours airport time -inbound flying time (6 hours) Now, my big question is, is it fair to charge for 8*2 hours over weekends while away? Substantiation would be: time away from family/other businesses/other clients. An alternate approach could be to up the hourly rate by say 20% on the same above basis and then *not* charge for weekends. Thoughts?
Cheers, Simon > company:: Broken Keyboards Software > VS add for delicious BKS-Delicious > skype :: SimonMStewart > CV :: PDF
Charge 24/7 like pilots do and expense out the flight and hotels.
Need a C# Consultant? I'm available.
Happiness in intelligent people is the rarest thing I know. -- Ernest Hemingway -
I would not charge for weekends. Unless I was in a place with nothing to do. Then I'd *work* and charge for weekends.
Christian Graus No longer a Microsoft MVP, but still happy to answer your questions.
I tend to agree, unless you're in the middle of nowhere treat it as an almost free vacation.
Today's lesson is brought to you by the word "niggardly". Remember kids, don't attribute to racism what can be explained by Scandinavian language roots. -- Robert Royall
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Charge 24/7 like pilots do and expense out the flight and hotels.
Need a C# Consultant? I'm available.
Happiness in intelligent people is the rarest thing I know. -- Ernest HemingwayEnnis Ray Lynch, Jr. wrote:
Charge 24/7
Sounds great and would make me a Robert Kiyosaki poster child, but I have this sneaky suspicion that I would lose clients too quick. :-P
Cheers, Simon > company:: Broken Keyboards Software > VS add for delicious BKS-Delicious > skype :: SimonMStewart > CV :: PDF
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Ennis Ray Lynch, Jr. wrote:
Charge 24/7
Sounds great and would make me a Robert Kiyosaki poster child, but I have this sneaky suspicion that I would lose clients too quick. :-P
Cheers, Simon > company:: Broken Keyboards Software > VS add for delicious BKS-Delicious > skype :: SimonMStewart > CV :: PDF
Well they charge different rates. Personally, I can't find a client that will pay for travel and they all balk at my all-inclusive rate. I think I would actually make more as a full time employee. (But then there are the perks)
Need a C# Consultant? I'm available.
Happiness in intelligent people is the rarest thing I know. -- Ernest Hemingway