Trying to get a sense of a project's scale/timeline/cost

[jmurray]

We need to design and implement (w/ a hired programmer) a workgroups/community-style web app (in PHP/MySQL) with calendars and forums, on the scale & complexity of PostNuke (which I think is brilliant). I know that there are programs out there that already do this function--I am looking to design something very specific from the ground up.

I realize that PostNuke is a fairly mature program that has slowly evolved, but what if I were to make something on that scale from a complete functional spec.

My questions are:
1) How long would something like this take?

2) How much would something like this cost? (I realize there is a pretty big range, but what kind of bid would be suspiciously low--a novice--and what kind of bid would be too high--ripping me off?)
3) Other than money, what other incentives are coders willing to take (now that no one expects startups like this to go public in 5 years)?
4) What would be your process in selecting a programmer? (is there a FAQ on this? if not, there should be)
5) For large projects such as this, what kind of payment installments. I wouldn't pay up front, but I also wouldn't hold out to the end.
6) What can you tell me about NDAs--efficacy, how often you sign them, do you take them seriously, how early in the interviewing process are you willing to sign one, etc.?

Since these are gray area questions, I welcome as many conflicting answers and opinions as I can get. Thank you.

[tekky]

I can only offer some input on the NDA aspect...
if the details of the app are that important to the company, a professional should understand this and be willing to sign one before the discussion of the precise details, content of the program and such are discussed... I wouldn't have any qualms about an NDA as a prelude to such a job discussion.

[drawmack]

I am willing to sign an NDA before any specifics are discussed, after all they don't do much good after that anyway.

As far as the other stuff I would not put in an overall bid on something like that. I would give you an hourly rate and an estimated completion time. I don't think that any experienced programmer would be willing to lay out a flat bid for something with the specs of the complexity of post nuke but a specialized implementation since (speaking from a programming stand point) a vast majority of post nuke's complexity comes from its flexibility.

Off the cuff I would say minimum of six months maximum of two years for a single programmer to complete something on the complexity level of post nuke but less flexible. However the right number might not even be in this ballpark as we really don't have enough details to go on. Why don't you post the job on dice and see what you come up with you can always repost it later if you don't get any acceptable bids.