FAQ

Questions people ask before we work together.

Frequently asked questions about working with me.

🔗Pricing & Payment

Q: What are your rates?
A: My hourly rate ranges from $150-250/hour depending on project scope, complexity, and duration. For fixed-scope projects, I provide project-based pricing. Pricing is always discussed upfront before any work begins.

Q: What payment terms do you offer?
A: For projects under 2 weeks, I typically require 50% upfront and 50% on completion. For longer engagements, we can arrange milestone-based payments. All terms are clearly defined in the project proposal.

Q: Do you offer discounts for long-term engagements?
A: Yes, I offer discounted rates for retainer agreements and long-term projects (3+ months). This is typically 10-15% off standard rates.

🔗Availability & Time Zones

Q: What's your availability?
A: I'm currently accepting new projects. Specific availability depends on current commitments, but I typically have capacity for 1-2 active projects at a time.

Q: What time zone are you in?
A: I'm based in Indiana, USA (ET). However, I have extensive experience working with teams across all time zones and can adjust my schedule for collaboration.

Q: Can you work during our business hours?
A: Yes, I'm flexible with scheduling. For active projects, I typically have 2-4 hours of overlap with ET business hours and can adjust for your team's needs.

🔗Technical Preferences

Q: What technologies do you specialize in?
A: I focus on:

  • Languages: .NET Core, Rust, Python, TypeScript/JavaScript
  • AI/ML: OpenAI, Azure OpenAI, Anthropic, Hugging Face, RAG systems
  • Cloud: Azure, AWS, GCP (cloud-agnostic preferred)
  • Databases: PostgreSQL (with pgvector), SQL Server, Redis
  • Infrastructure: Docker, Kubernetes, CI/CD pipelines

Q: Are you open to learning new technologies?
A: Absolutely. I've successfully worked with many technologies throughout my 20+ year career. If a project requires something new, I'm happy to learn it.

Q: Do you only work with specific cloud providers?
A: No, I prefer cloud-agnostic solutions when possible. I have experience with Azure, AWS, and GCP, and I've built frameworks that work across all of them.

🔗Project Scope & Revisions

Q: How do you handle scope changes?
A: Scope changes are discussed and documented. Small changes (under 2 hours) are typically handled within the original scope. Larger changes result in a revised proposal and timeline.

Q: What's your revision policy?
A: I include one round of revisions in project pricing. Additional revisions are billed at standard hourly rates. For retainer agreements, revisions are included in the monthly engagement.

Q: How do you handle bugs or issues after delivery?
A: I provide a 30-day warranty period for bug fixes related to the delivered code. Issues outside the original scope or related to environmental changes are handled separately.

🔗Remote Work & Communication

Q: Do you work remotely?
A: Yes, I have extensive remote work experience. I've worked with distributed teams of 22+ people and am comfortable with all collaboration tools (Slack, Teams, Zoom, etc.).

Q: How do you communicate during projects?
A: For active projects, I prefer daily standups (15-30 minutes) and weekly progress reports. I'm responsive to Slack/Teams messages and available for ad-hoc calls when needed.

Q: Can you work on-site if needed?
A: While I prefer remote work, I'm open to occasional on-site visits for kickoff meetings, key milestones, or final handoffs. Travel expenses would be included in the project proposal.

🔗Industries & Experience

Q: What industries have you worked in?
A: I have experience across:

  • E-commerce: Faceted search, payment gateways, recommendation systems
  • Government: Secure payment systems, compliance-focused applications
  • Automotive: CQRS frameworks, event-sourcing, microservices (Volvo project)
  • Enterprise Software: RAG systems, LLM orchestration, observability
  • SaaS Platforms: Multi-tenant architectures, API development

Q: Do you only work with large companies?
A: No, I work with companies of all sizes. My experience spans from startups to Fortune 500 companies. What matters is finding the right technical fit.

🔗Process & Timeline

Q: How long does a typical project take?
A: It depends on scope:

  • Architecture Review: 1-2 weeks
  • Pilot/MVP: 2-6 weeks
  • Full System: 3-12 months
  • Retainer: Ongoing monthly engagement

Q: What's your development process?
A: I follow Agile/Scrum methodologies:

  • Iterative development with regular deliverables
  • Test-driven development when appropriate
  • Continuous integration and deployment
  • Regular code reviews and documentation

Q: How do you handle project handoff?
A: I provide comprehensive documentation including:

  • Architecture diagrams and design decisions
  • Code documentation and inline comments
  • Setup and deployment guides
  • Known issues and future recommendations
  • Training sessions for your team (if needed)

🔗Getting Started

Q: How do I get started?
A:

  1. Contact me with your project details
  2. We'll schedule a free 30-minute consultation call
  3. I'll provide a detailed proposal with scope, timeline, and pricing
  4. Once approved, we'll start with a kickoff meeting

Q: What information do you need to provide a proposal?
A: I need:

  • Project overview and goals
  • Technical requirements (if known)
  • Timeline expectations
  • Budget range (if available)
  • Team size and structure

Q: Is the initial consultation free?
A: Yes, the initial 30-minute consultation call is free. This gives us both a chance to see if we're a good fit before committing to a project.