# Web Application Spec & Costing

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/web-application-spec-costing/168903>\
**Category:** Rails\
**Created:** [May 27, 2009, 9:47am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/web-application-spec-costing/168903 "2009-05-27T09:47:51Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Courtney](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/67e7ee/32.png) [@Courtney](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Courtney)\
**Post date:** [May 27, 2009, 9:47am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/web-application-spec-costing/168903/1 "2009-05-27T09:47:51Z")

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Non-developer here with a new start-up, looking for a Good Samaritan.  
I’m working on the spec for a web application that may or may not be a  
complex site. I believe it is on the complex end of the spectrum, but  
I may just be naive to the possibilities and capabilities of RoR  
programmers.

This site will move forward, although the company is in the process of  
funding “as we speak.” I know that a lump-sum, all-encompassing flat  
fee for a website/application isn’t practical. Still, I need to come  
up with a general idea of the cost to get this site up.

With limited technical expertise, trying to budget for web development  
is a black hole of confusion. I’m looking for someone who can consult  
me in coming up with a decent spec and estimate cost range for said  
spec.

From there, the spec WILL BE DEVELOPED and of course, developers that  
can provide solid input on the spec and cost range will be the first  
to be considered in contracting its development.

The site needs to act as an e-commerce site like Ebay, Amazon or Etsy  
with store subscriptions for clients (no auctions), a social  
networking platform, and a CMS.

Please contact me at (352)262-7989 or removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Courtney](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/67e7ee/32.png) [@Courtney](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Courtney)\
**Post date:** [May 27, 2009, 12:22pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/web-application-spec-costing/168903/2 "2009-05-27T12:22:15Z")

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Hi,

I’ll happily quote on this project for you.

You actually don’t need to be very technical at all, I find. But you  
do need to specify as best as possible as many details as you can  
muster.

If you’re interested, please get back to me with the following details:

- what you need to be able to do with the CMS - ie what do you need to  
edit / what content do you need to manage? text, and… pictures?  
audio? video? anything? everything?
- what kinds of products you want to be able to sell, and how, and  
what the process would be for the cart and showcase site - ebay, etsy  
and amazon are all VERY different to each other
- what kind of payment methods (ie one off, subscription, timed,  
other?) would you like to accept, and what sort of ongoing fees do you  
envisage for this
- what sorts of capabilities does this social networking platform need  
to allow (ie instance messaging? email-like messaging? applications?  
as specific as you can be).
- what your idea for budget is… (this is simply what you’re thinking
- doesn’t need to be the amount it WILL be).

I can give you a fairly good estimate of what’s possible

* * *

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