Your biggest issue is going to be if they want a fixed price for the projects. Invariably projects change (usual getting more complicated) and of course unexpected issues will arise. I have seen many people get burned by using per project pricing...not necessarily because the employer were bad people (though that can happen too)...it is just because all projects are fluid and dynamic things. Not to mention, you are going to be responsible for integrating other peoples' code in the first part and directly taking over someone else's code in the second part. While this could go incredibly smoothly, I think the odds are against it.

My suggestion is push (as hard as is reasonable) for a per hour basis (or at least per day, if it's fulltime). This way if the project goes smoothly everyone wins and if not, at least you are getting paid for all the work you do. Also, having them pay by the hour/day will ensure that they will take time and effort into consideration for any changes/enhancement (and especially design decisions) down the road.

If per project pricing is the only option, try to come to an (as detailed as possible) agreement on what constitutes the completion of the project. Everyone invariably has different ideas of what "done" means. Also, if possible, get a look at the code in part 2 (before giving a project quote) to get an idea of the quality of the code you will be working with. Granted, there is limited info you can gleen from the code in a short time, but very poorly written code (and/or unreadable code with little to no comments) will generally jump right out at you. Anyway, the point is, if you have to go with per project pricing, make an informed choice and remember the age-old rule of estimating a projects labor effort: "Make your best, most educated guess....then double it." More often than not, that old axiom tends to be alot closer to reality than you could imagine.

Good luck,
Q

Fixed bid - you get burned every time unless you have rock solid requirements and expectations.

what about if it was a flat rate kinda thing?

I've done lots of contracting work in my time as a software engineer, I'm based in the UK and the normal rates are around £30-£45 per hour in the North and up to £60 per hour in the Capital. A friend of mine works for a Swiss bank in Geneva doing back end server Java stuff, he gets £2500 a week.

It is all down to experience, the more you have the better the rate.

that's interesting, so I would thing charging around $60/hour isn't that bad then. thanks! :)

anyone else have input by chance?

Funny you mention this, there's a recent discussion you probably wouldn't mind looking over:

http://www.cocos2d-iphone.org/forum/topic/6257

ok, so i have been asked to do some programming for a company and have never done any programming other than for myself before so I have no idea what to charge for work.

1. I have been asked to make a menu system for launching apps in a "value pack" type deal for one project, with more work to come from it with updates and such. this will involve probably learning a little bit of code from each to make run correctly, but they will do the apps part here mostly, i will be telling them the code to make it switch back to the menu though.

2. also i have been asked to edit code on an exiting game to fit to their liking, not my game, one they bought off someone and they want to change, will will involve learning the engine and how the game works code wise for it.

they want me to give a price for these two projects. any thoughts?