Bespoke Software Costs

Bespoke software can be developed on a fixed price project basis. You know exactly how much the cost will be. The price you pay will not change as long as the original specification is not radically changed.

Low overheads means software can be produced afforables prices without sacificing quality.

With PSS there are no hidden costs.

You only pay for what you need.

Larger projects can be developed as a series of smaller self contained stages, spreading development costs.

Example Bespoke Software Costs

Examples of costs vary considerable from project to project depending on exact specification.

A typical medium size mutiuser office based customer, ordering, scheduling and reporting database application costs £5-7k.

A small database application to collect and analyse data costs arround £2k.

Factors Influencing Software Cost

Number of forms & reports

Complexity of processing required on forms

Size of the data and inter-relationship between data items (customers, orders, products etc)

Importing old data, particularly if not well structured, multiple sources increase cost

Level of design required, especially for web solutions

Distribution of data, e.g. communication between different sites increases application costs

Interaction with other systems

Generally web based solutions cost maybe 50% more than office based PC/Server

How Costs are Split

In a proposal I give you a detailed break down of the costs.

A typical breakdown for large web fronted data base application could be:

• 10% Specification, Design and Meetings
• 5% Import and Export
• 5% Database Setup, Security, Framework, Menus
• 40% Forms
• 15% Reports
• 25% Testing, Amendments, Support & Handover

These vary depending on the nature of the project.

Stage Payments

You pay for projects in stages, for example:

• 30% on placement of order
• 40% on coding completion and demonstration of all functions and reports completed
• 30% on satisfactory completion of user testing and handover

No Site Licenses

With my software there is no site license, or per user charge that are common with off-the-shelf packages.

Softfware Costs per Hour

I charge at an hourly rate for ongoing support, small additions to the original application, when work is needed urgently, or when no clear specification has yet been agreed.

My hourly rate is £40 per hour.

Advice for Commissioning Software

1) The clearer the idea you have, the more chance you will get what you want and avoid overspend.

2) Look at the competition and what else is already on the market. Find websites you like the look of, if appropriate. It is a great help to a developer to see examples rather than have descriptions.

3) Focus on the process, be clear what happens at each stage. Consider exceptions, what happens if data is not complete etc.

4) Keep things as simple as possible, and identify the essential functionality you require.

5) Consider a staged approach. You can add refinements later.

6) Be realistic regarding the time and resources you need to put in to successfully implement a new project. Don't expect the developer to do everything for you.

7) Request to see progress regularly.

If you would like an estimated cost for a software project call Paul on 01695 720562.

If you are in the feasibility stage and details are not finalised, I can give ball-park figures.

Bespoke Software Project Development >>

Examples of Bespoke Software Projects >>