"You can negotiate with a developer on her rate, but if it sounds reasonable, it probably is. Keep in mind that there are plenty of other people out there willi

"You can negotiate with a developer on her rate, but if it sounds reasonable, it probably is. Keep in mind that there are plenty of other people out there willing and able to hire her for what she quoted. And, if she feels like she’s been out-negotiated and she’s not being compensated what she’s worth, chances are she won’t prioritize your work over other work (or over other, more fun things). Or, she’ll find someone else who will pay her rate, then leave you hanging. I’ve seen it over and over again." So true. The lowest price is only the best price if you're never going to deal with the person again, but in general you want people who do business with you to make money too so that they keep doing business with you. The price you pay for something, and the degree to which you negotiate, sends a strong signal. You don't want that signal to be adversarial in situations like these, for the reasons described. Finally, a lot of people see margins from negotiations as easy money, or say things like "I'm a good negotiator." The first is only somewhat the case, saying the latter is not only bad manners but reveals what a person thinks of the role of others is in their success. A negotiation sets the terms for the relationship, and if your terms are bad, people will get out of that relationship or set you at a low priority, at best.