Hey everyone! I'm a solo developer and I've been asked to give a quote for a real estate website project. I would love some input from those of you who have experience with WordPress or freelance work in general. The client is looking to replace their current site to improve their digital presence, and they have a few specific requirements.
Here are the key details:
- The site needs to be built on WordPress.
- It should have a custom structure for property and development listings, similar to Idealista.
- The design must be responsive and user-friendly for the admin to manage listings easily.
- I will also need to provide training and a basic manual to the client.
The features they want include:
- About, Services, and Contact pages.
- A property listing system with various filters.
- Service landing pages with guides.
- Contact forms, a WhatsApp button, social sharing, and Google Maps integration.
For content loading, I might either load all properties myself or just set up the structure and have the client add the rest.
In terms of SEO, basic configurations are needed, along with Google Analytics and Search Console setup. The client will handle ongoing SEO and marketing.
There are legal requirements regarding cookies and privacy policies due to EU laws.
I need to have the site fully operational by the end of February, and I will only be able to work on this during evenings and weekends due to my day job.
So my main questions are:
- What price range would you suggest for this? I was thinking around €8,000, but I'm unsure.
- Given my limited WordPress experience and a fixed deadline of the end of February, do you think this timeline is realistic?
- Should I consider loading all properties as part of my offer?
- Is there anything that raises a red flag in this project?
- Would you recommend adding maintenance or support as an option?
- Considering my lack of WP experience, would you still take on this project and learn as I go, or recommend a different setup?
- Would you price it as a fixed project or milestone-based?
Honestly, would you take this project if you were in my shoes? Thanks a ton for your help!
3 Answers
The best approach would be to break down the project line by line and estimate each component separately. Look at your hourly rate and multiply it by the hours you think it'll take for each part of the job. This will give you a clearer picture of what to charge. And don’t forget to factor in your learning curve if you’ve never worked with WordPress before!
Given the complexity and specific requirements, I’d quote between $30k and $60k for this project. It's crucial to consider that most of the work might seem simple initially but can extend due to scope creep and client indecision, which is common in freelance work. Plan for at least 2-3 months just to keep everything on track. If you're not comfortable with WordPress yet, this could be tricky!
If you can get maintenance or support included, that’s a good idea! Your initial quote of €8,000 isn't crazy, but it’s on the higher side if you're doing this alone without previous WP experience. Just be mindful of legal requirements like cookie policies! They can add more to your workload.
I based my thinking on needing a good amount for my "free" time and the effort that goes into learning and managing this project. Thanks for pointing out those details about the cookie policies! Helps a lot!