Post by @pwaring@social.xk7.net

@pwaring@social.xk7.net

2026-04-13 08:53 UTC

Things I regularly find challenging to get prospective clients to understand with software development: 1. It takes far more time than you expect. 2. It costs far more than you expect (a bespoke web app for example is thousands of pounds, if not tens of thousands). 3. There is no such thing as a '2 minute fix'. 4. Companies like eBay, AutoTrader etc. have teams of people like me (no I can't clone their site in 1 month for £200). #business #freelance #freelancing

Replies (3)

@tony@toot.hoyle.me.uk 2026-04-13 09:14

@pwaring@social.xk7.net Software development, including web design, is seen as cheap or free by many business types.. ('my son makes web sites'). Getting over that hurdle is the hard part. TBH that isn't helped by new people starting out undervaluing themselves.. I understand why, truly, but we need to be educating up and coming developers their knowledge is valuable.

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@richardjh@phpc.social 2026-04-13 09:06

@pwaring@social.xk7.net I hear that. The number of people that have a "great idea" that basically boils done to "just build me Facebook for £300" Then there is the other type where there is a realisation that it will cost money but there is zero intention to actually do any work on the business side, just "build it and they will come" expectation.

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@boggits@mastodon.social 2026-04-13 09:59

@pwaring@social.xk7.net add "Some companies' dedicated apps are just reskins of existing work"

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