calling contractors in IT -- need advice on salary vs contract offer.

[uwila]

If you made £63k in a staff position in the uk, would you entertain a job offer for £150k in Dublin where you would obviously have to provide your own transportation, hotel, etc.?

Current staff position provides no pension and no private medical.

The work is a good career move and more interesting than current job.

BTW, this offer is not for me.

Uwila, I accepted that my career would become ds when I had him (I'm a bit in favour of SAH parenting) and I fit temp work around him.

But when dh first went away it felt like my whole life was on hold, and I had to get organised regarding a social life for myself, otherwise I would have gone utterly LOOPY

Feels like I have sometimes anyway.

I think if I were married someone who worked away Monday Friday and I had small children I'd think I'd be better off divorced. Can't you both organise it so you work nearer to home?

DH used to commute weekly. And IME extra days can be hugely important.

TO him most of all TBH. It's a long time to be away from the children.

Oh Xenia,

"Can't you both organise it so you work nearer to home? "

Don't you think if we could, we would?

You make me laugh sometimes.

Xenia,
I don't think the arrangement is that bad actually. In return for my extra work during the week, DH picks up more of the household chores like laundry and lawn mowing on the weekend. And, I'll trade childcare for laundry any day.

Besides, we have a live in nanny. So really my burden isn't all that bad.

Can he make it a condition that accom and flights are paid plus he leaves early on Fridays to get home at a reasonable time?

IT contractors where I work reguarly negotiate this (and are paid this sort of money and more) so it's not unusual.

Because if accom and flights are paid and he gets to leave early on Fridays AND it's more interesting and he already works away then it's a no brainer imo, he should do it.

Hi Uwila. My DH is an IT contractor, and most weeks lives in Dublin from Monday-Thursday. This has been the case for the last few years.

He used to stay in hotels out there (there's a Quality hotel which I believe is one of the cheaper ones), but for the last couple of years or so has been sharing a flat with a colleague. He works as a sole trader, and can claim the cost of the flat as an expense on his P&L account, but his accountant is insistent that we must not use the flat for me to visit for weekends, or the tax rules will be very different (or at least we must not let her know if I go out ).

He flies from Luton (only 15 mins away for us), and can pay as little as 99p (plus tax) for his flights, but has also paid about £300 on the odd occasion, depending on when he books.

May I ask how you have come up with the £150k figure? Is this a set amount, or is it based on a daily/hourly rate? Although many will work more days than this, a contractor would usually use 200 working days on which to base his expected income.

Uwila, can your dh negotiate to work compressed days eg fit 5 days' work into 4 days. That way, he has the same pay and Fri off to spend with his family. Also keeps him out of trouble Mon - Thurs evenings, plus you save on one nights' accommodation ... and possibly childcare on Fri.

The figure is the daily rate times 5 times 48 (assuming 4 weeks of unpaid hols/sickness). He would have to cover all travel/accommodation expenses.

Don't forget that if he takes bank holidays off, that will be another 8 (??) days unpaid, unless he is including this in the 4 weeks, which seems optimistic.

If he worked on the usual 200 days assumption, this would take him down to £125k. Still enough to cover the expenses I would say, though not quite as tempting (although the 200 days should be a minimum if it's a long term contract).

I think I'd be inclined to take it, since you are used to being apart anyway.

OK, so £625/day rate less £200/day expenses (assuming hotel + subsistence + travel) = 425/day which surely he could get in London

So on that basis I'd say go contracting, in London, without the travel and accom.