cost of living estimates
So, I've generally used the first CoL calculator that comes up in a google search: http://www.homefair.com/calc/salcalc.html Because in the past it's seemed to be the only one that was really available, although now there appear to be a couple more that work (plus a couple that are either broken or lacking certain cities like Charlottesville where I am currently). I've found these other two: http://www.bankrate.com/brm/movecalc.asp http://www.bestplaces.net/col/ The problem is that these calculators produce wildly different estimates of cost... Example: From: Charlottesville VA To: San Francisco CA Income: $70k 1. roughly equivalent 2. 60% increase ($111k) 3. 80% increase ($125k) The comparison between here and DC is similar although less drastic. One thing that bothers me is that the first calculator is the only one of the three that includes rent vs. own in the calculation. (23%-32% increase although the first calculator says that Arlington which hugs the side of downtown DC is equivalent of Charlottesville, which I find difficult to believe) I'd be grateful for any thoughts or resources anyone has. Thanks, s. isaac dealey 434.293.6201 new epoch : isn't it time for a change? add features without fixtures with the onTap open source framework http://www.fusiontap.com http://coldfusion.sys-con.com/author/4806Dealey.htm ~| Message: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=i:11:2964 Archives: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/threads.cfm/11 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=s:11 Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=11502.10531.11 Donations Support: http://www.houseoffusion.com/tiny.cfm/54
Re: Onsite vs. Offsite
Beats me. I prefer offsite myself too. I try to limit my on-site-ness as much as possible. I'm much more productive when I work from home, and can put in more time. J On 3/29/06, Christian N. Abad [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Hello All: I'm curious as to why so many companies demand (note the use of the word demand versus require) that CF developers work onsite. I consulted for several years and only accepted opportunities that allowed me to work remotely. I now run my entire company from the comfort of my home office. (Yes, all of my resources work remotely - an arrangement we all find beneficial and extremely rewarding.) So why, then, do many companies demand (there's that word again) that CF resources work onsite for project work? I mean let's get real; do you really expect a resource to relocate to some undesirable location to work onsite for a company that views them as an expendable resource on a project that lasts only a few months? It seems you could attract higher caliber developers if you weren't so rigid in the work arrangement. After all, telecommuting is not new by any stroke of the imagination... Disclaimer: I understand there are exceptions for work arrangements that require security clearance, like DOD and Government opportunities, that's now what I'm talking about here... Thoughts? ~Christian N. Abad President, Accessible Computing Accessible Computing, Inc. 1210 McLaughlin Drive Charlotte, NC 28212 704.248.8855 (office) 704.248.6682 (fax) http://www.accessiblecomputing.com ~| Message: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=i:11:2966 Archives: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/threads.cfm/11 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=s:11 Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=11502.10531.11 Donations Support: http://www.houseoffusion.com/tiny.cfm/54
Re: Onsite vs. Offsite
I work much better off-site as well, and in fact I currently do. Remote contracts are few and far between anymore. I suspect that companies that demand on-site are (in my perhaps tainted opinion) paranoid about not being able to monitor/control their workers. I was very fortunate in that I worked entirely from home beginning in early 2001 (after the dot-com collapse in the SF Bay Area when my last on-site contract concluded as the company folded), and with only a couple exceptions, it has been that way ever since. The latest exception is that I took a chance and moved up here to Montana back in July for a real job. In the first week, I learned that my boss was a major micro-manager. I wasn't hired to be a developer -- I was hired to be HIM. He was so anal that he wanted me to write code EXACTLY the same way that he did -- the same style, down to the last intimate detail. And you should have seen his code -- it was AWFUL. What little I saw of it, that is. He was so paranoid about people stealing his code that the only time I got to see any of it was when he thought I could use some of it instead of writing stuff from scratch. It's no wonder he didn't make it working for other companies and had to start his own. At the promise of a cut of the profits of the project I was working on, I agreed to abide by these ridiculous requirements. Then after five months, they conveniently ran out of money and let me go. There are many more details, but it doesn't matter in this context. I was insightful enough to see this coming, and picked up a new remote contract a week prior, and am now MUCH happier. The best part is that I'm making more money. Personally, I am 100% DONE with working a real job on-site all the time. It's either remote contract, with occasional on-site as needed, or I'll go find another line of work entirely. Rob Christian N. Abad wrote: Hello All: I'm curious as to why so many companies demand (note the use of the word demand versus require) that CF developers work onsite. I consulted for several years and only accepted opportunities that allowed me to work remotely. I now run my entire company from the comfort of my home office. (Yes, all of my resources work remotely - an arrangement we all find beneficial and extremely rewarding.) So why, then, do many companies demand (there's that word again) that CF resources work onsite for project work? I mean let's get real; do you really expect a resource to relocate to some undesirable location to work onsite for a company that views them as an expendable resource on a project that lasts only a few months? It seems you could attract higher caliber developers if you weren't so rigid in the work arrangement. After all, telecommuting is not new by any stroke of the imagination... Disclaimer: I understand there are exceptions for work arrangements that require security clearance, like DOD and Government opportunities, that's now what I'm talking about here... Thoughts? ~Christian N. Abad President, Accessible Computing Accessible Computing, Inc. 1210 McLaughlin Drive Charlotte, NC 28212 704.248.8855 (office) 704.248.6682 (fax) http://www.accessiblecomputing.com ~| Message: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=i:11:2969 Archives: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/threads.cfm/11 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=s:11 Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=11502.10531.11 Donations Support: http://www.houseoffusion.com/tiny.cfm/54
Re: cost of living estimates
I think ugly commutes should be factored in. You get the added expense of maintaining a vehicle more so it lasts day to day. Plus the huge added aggravation of dealing with the commute. For the past 5-6 years I have been commuting an insane amount and primarily because the money was just so good. I am getting to the point of that not even being a good enough reason though. On 3/29/06, Larry C. Lyons [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Isaac, You may want to try this COS calculator: http://www.homefair.com/homefair/calc/salcalc.html Moving from Charlottesville to Arlington, your salary would have to jump up to 106,000. Living further out, say in Gainesville or Manassas -both on the edge of the area, you'd only have to earn an extra $7,000 to $10,000. The big drawback for both places is that you're looking at a real ugly commute. hth, larry ~| Message: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=i:11:2971 Archives: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/threads.cfm/11 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=s:11 Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=11502.10531.11 Donations Support: http://www.houseoffusion.com/tiny.cfm/54
Re: cost of living estimates
Thanks Larry, that's one of the 3 I've tried... although you're probably plugging in a higher number than I am... I'm only seeing a jump of $10-12k from CVille to Washington DC... Or that may be based on owning a house, which ... I'm so busted at the moment that's not even a remote possibility... maybe in 5-10 years I'll be able to consider it with some amount of legitimacy... maybe... if my luck dramatically changes now and is very good for the next 5-10 years. Unfortunately the same COS tells me that Arlington would be roughly $9k _less_ than CVille for me, which I don't believe for a second... but that's the reason for asking about COS in general, because I don't know that I can really trust this one since I'm pretty certain it's wildly innacurate when I choose Arlington VA. Isaac, You may want to try this COS calculator: http://www.homefair.com/homefair/calc/salcalc.html Moving from Charlottesville to Arlington, your salary would have to jump up to 106,000. Living further out, say in Gainesville or Manassas -both on the edge of the area, you'd only have to earn an extra $7,000 to $10,000. The big drawback for both places is that you're looking at a real ugly commute. hth, larry On 3/29/06, S. Isaac Dealey [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: So, I've generally used the first CoL calculator that comes up in a google search: http://www.homefair.com/calc/salcalc.html Because in the past it's seemed to be the only one that was really available, although now there appear to be a couple more that work (plus a couple that are either broken or lacking certain cities like Charlottesville where I am currently). I've found these other two: http://www.bankrate.com/brm/movecalc.asp http://www.bestplaces.net/col/ The problem is that these calculators produce wildly different estimates of cost... Example: From: Charlottesville VA To: San Francisco CA Income: $70k 1. roughly equivalent 2. 60% increase ($111k) 3. 80% increase ($125k) The comparison between here and DC is similar although less drastic. One thing that bothers me is that the first calculator is the only one of the three that includes rent vs. own in the calculation. (23%-32% increase although the first calculator says that Arlington which hugs the side of downtown DC is equivalent of Charlottesville, which I find difficult to believe) I'd be grateful for any thoughts or resources anyone has. Thanks, s. isaac dealey 434.293.6201 new epoch : isn't it time for a change? add features without fixtures with the onTap open source framework http://www.fusiontap.com http://coldfusion.sys-con.com/author/4806Dealey.htm ~~ ~| Message: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=i:11:2972 Archives: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/threads.cfm/11 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=s:11 Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=11502.10531.11 Donations Support: http://www.houseoffusion.com/tiny.cfm/54
Re: cost of living estimates
Yep. If I move to DC-metro I expect I won't be driving anywhere. At least not daily. I think ugly commutes should be factored in. You get the added expense of maintaining a vehicle more so it lasts day to day. Plus the huge added aggravation of dealing with the commute. For the past 5-6 years I have been commuting an insane amount and primarily because the money was just so good. I am getting to the point of that not even being a good enough reason though. s. isaac dealey 434.293.6201 new epoch : isn't it time for a change? add features without fixtures with the onTap open source framework http://www.fusiontap.com http://coldfusion.sys-con.com/author/4806Dealey.htm ~| Message: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=i:11:2973 Archives: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/threads.cfm/11 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=s:11 Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=11502.10531.11 Donations Support: http://www.houseoffusion.com/tiny.cfm/54
Re: cost of living estimates
In the northern Virginia area, in anywhere from Fairfax through Gainesville, you need to factor in at least an hour one way for commute time. And even more if you have to take a commuter bus to the Metro, or drive to the Metro. I've turned down jobs that required me to commute. Unless the company lets me work from home at least 3 days a week I won't consider it if there's a substantial commute involved. At least my current job is only about a mile from where I live. So no commute. larry On 3/29/06, Aaron Rouse [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: I think ugly commutes should be factored in. You get the added expense of maintaining a vehicle more so it lasts day to day. Plus the huge added aggravation of dealing with the commute. For the past 5-6 years I have been commuting an insane amount and primarily because the money was just so good. I am getting to the point of that not even being a good enough reason though. On 3/29/06, Larry C. Lyons [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Isaac, You may want to try this COS calculator: http://www.homefair.com/homefair/calc/salcalc.html Moving from Charlottesville to Arlington, your salary would have to jump up to 106,000. Living further out, say in Gainesville or Manassas -both on the edge of the area, you'd only have to earn an extra $7,000 to $10,000. The big drawback for both places is that you're looking at a real ugly commute. hth, larry ~| Message: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=i:11:2974 Archives: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/threads.cfm/11 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=s:11 Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=11502.10531.11 Donations Support: http://www.houseoffusion.com/tiny.cfm/54
Re: cost of living estimates
Housing in San Francisco is very expensive, but if you don't mind a commute the outer areas are not so pricey. I don't have a vehicle, I use public transportation (or taxis when it rains). No way is the cost of living roughly equivalent to Charlottesville. On 3/29/06, S. Isaac Dealey [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: From: Charlottesville VA To: San Francisco CA Income: $70k 1. roughly equivalent 2. 60% increase ($111k) 3. 80% increase ($125k) ~| Message: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=i:11:2977 Archives: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/threads.cfm/11 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=s:11 Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=11502.10531.11 Donations Support: http://www.houseoffusion.com/tiny.cfm/54
