Worked for a steel fabrication company years ago that charged $65.00 per hour for my time. I was making $10.00 an hour, but I also had great insurance, paid vacation, paid sick days, paid holidays, provided tools, uniforms, etc, etc.

Company apparently needed to charge more, as they eventually went bankrupt.



My response to this kind of question has always been:

We charge enough to ensure that the company will remain in business so we can continue to support systems we've installed.


There is no need to respond with ANY details. A generic answer such as this should be sufficient, and should not ruffle any feathers.