A client of mine has asked me to convert an offline Access database to an online MySQL db. I mostly deal with front-end PHP programming and don't have a good idea how to come up with a price estimate for them. I'm also not sure how much will be involved in converting the db. I see scripts online (and it should be relatively painless to just export the access db out and import it into MySQL, but there are 19 reports and 25 queries that need to be converted and new data needs to be enterable via the web.

Are there online resources that can help me come up with a fair and reasonable quote for my client? How do you go about figuring out how much to charge for something like this.

Thanks so much!

Anyone? What methodologies do you use to come up with estimates?

Unless you have an iron-clad requirements document, that they can't change once you start work, don't bid a flat rate! Strictly time and materials.

If you want to keep them happy, they need to understand that changes are quite acceptable, but those changes will cost them money. That makes it in their best interest to make good decisions about what they want, and it means that you aren't left "on the hook" forever trying to support those changes at no charge.

-PatP