Although I am gainfully employed at present, in the past I have made a good portion of my living in freelance work: websites, Facebook applications, database tools – even the odd carpentry project. The most essential skill involved in freelancing any field? Communication. But the next most important skill is the ability to accurately estimate and bid for a contract.
If you’re working a regular job, you are almost always paid by the hour. Freelance work is sometimes paid by the hour, but more often the client will want you to bid a fixed price for the entire project: a ‘contract price’. And even if it is paid by the hour, the hourly rate isn’t generally a pre-determined constant – you will have to get in there and negotiate the hourly rate you deserve.
So how does one estimate...