Got my first real quote request and had no clue what to charge

A friend from my old job in Denver reached out last Tuesday asking if I could build a simple website for his new side business. He said he needed about five pages and a contact form. I've only done practice projects before, so I froze up when he asked for a price. I spent two hours looking at forums and asking in a Discord, getting numbers from $300 to $2000. I finally just guessed and said $750, and he agreed right away. Now I'm worried I went too low for the work, but I was scared to ask for more. How do you figure out a fair price when you have zero experience to go on?

4 comments

4 Comments

oscarb1612d ago

My cousin in Austin charged $500 for her first website last year and felt the same way. She told me every new freelancer basically sets their first price by pure guesswork. The real pattern I see is that we all treat our first quote like a final exam when it's really just a practice test. You learn what to charge by doing the work, seeing how long it takes, and then adjusting for the next person. That $750 is your starting data point, not a life sentence. What kind of side business is your friend starting?

ray_burns22d ago

Zero experience to go on" used to stump me too.

laura_wilson22d ago

My friend Sarah got a job as a manager with zero people skills. She just faked it for months, copying how her old boss talked in meetings. It was pure panic mode, watching YouTube videos on how to give feedback. Honestly, she says looking back, everyone is just guessing at first. That "zero experience" feeling is just the starting line for everyone.

miles_chen21d agoTop Commenter

Totally get that panic mode feeling... honestly, just copying someone good is a solid start. You pick up the real skills by doing the thing, even when you're faking it at first. That's how most people figure it out.