How to work with another freelancer?

Question

Another freelancer and I started this project in January, but going into it, things are difficult. I felt the other freelancer would undermine my decisions when it came to tech and estimates.

For example, I estimated X amount of hours, and he would say things such as "I can do that in a few minutes", or he has a strong bias against the technology I choose.

My instinct tells me that he's trying to cut down the span of the project so he can move on (as he is working part time), but that would leave me with the burden of the work to do by myself. How do I respond to this?

Answer 1

What I'm reading here is that maybe you didn't have the roles within the business defined very well at all. Business partnership is like marriage! You are tied at-the-hip to the good and bad decisions your partner makes.

If you're really having a lot of conflict, and you're not too vested in the arrangement, a last resort is to sell your interest in the deal and just let your partner finish the work. Or, to buy your partner out, and you finish.

I couldn't tell directly if you're trying to do the project full time but if your partner is part-timing it, the first thing to recognize is the fact that you have a lot more at stake (risk) than he does if the project fails and you don't get paid!!! This is the sort of thing that should have been discussed in detail before the two of you agreed to work together. You might patch it up, but it will be a challenge.

Best of luck.

Answer 2

I've dealt with someone like this before, but it was a full time job not a freelancer. So take what you can from our advice here:

Make them quantify why a certain technology/framework is bad for the project, not just them as a developer. As for the cost/quoting problem, go to the boss and talk with them about it privately.

If you are in a discussion as a group and they try to claim something isn't good, put their feet to the fire. Figuratively of course. If they try to claim a certain technology/framework isn't good, make them explain in detail. What does that mean? It means they have to provide objective reasons, such as "The routing method that framework A uses is counter-productive to what we are trying to accomplish." Not, "I don't like the way this framework structures their folders." Often times they will either back down or show they don't know what they are talking about.

Answer 3

Obviously you either have a wrong partner or your bad project manager.

If you both are the experts from the same area, let's say php, then give him opportunity to estimate the project. You can then review it and correct it if necessary. But be sure you correct it with him and with his approval. After all, he will do the work and things you can do in 5 hours, he may need 8.

After that, hold him responsible for his own estimations. Each time I estimated something for my colleagues, I made a mistake.

Regarding technology, you should either talk more or try to find a solution on StackOverflow. I guess if those experts stand on the side of one of you, then it should matter a lot.

In the end, if you think your partner is dishonest, dump him and find another one.