Some consultants will prefer to bill by the hour while others will have set flat fees for specific projects with concrete start and finish dates. Ideally, you should find a firm that really wants your business and is willing to customize a price plan based on both your budget and the project's scope.

The price of IT consulting can be exorbitant. You can expect to pay upwards of $80 an hour for their services. If you are a start-up, especially an Internet one, and are seeking funding, it's best to factor in the cost of IT consultants into your financial needs.

Whether you opt to pay by the hour a flat fee, to help ensure you are only paying for exactly what you want, it's absolutely necessary to have your goals and expectations fully outlined for your IT consultants. See Guarantees.