Hiring a developer for a large custom plugin suite — are these quotes too low and how do I vet properly
Hey r/admincraft, looking for advice from people who've commissioned or built complex plugins before.
We're developing a custom game mode for a new server running PaperMC 1.21.4 behind a Velocity proxy. Without going into specifics about the design, the scope involves three interconnected plugins with cross-plugin dependencies, roughly 30+ distinct systems, custom entity AI, FAWE integration, and a significant amount of custom economy and matchmaking logic. We have a detailed internal brief covering every system but I'd rather not share the full design publicly for obvious reasons.
The situation:
We've had two developers independently quote $750 for the full project. Based on our own research into the scope we think this is significantly underpriced we're estimating the full build is somewhere in the 15,000-20,000 lines of Java range with a realistic solo development timeline of 6-9 months.
Neither quote came with a milestone breakdown, which is also making us cautious.
What we're trying to figure out:
- Are $750 quotes for a project this size a red flag, or are we overestimating complexity?
- What's a realistic price range for a large custom PaperMC plugin suite from a competent developer?
- How do you properly vet a developer for a technically complex project, what should we be looking for in their portfolio specifically?
- What questions should we be asking before signing anything?
- Are there reputable places to find experienced PaperMC developers beyond word of mouth?
We're serious about building this properly and willing to pay what it's actually worth. We just want to go in with realistic expectations and make sure whoever we hire genuinely understands what they're taking on before we commit.
Any advice appreciated especially from people who've been on either side of commissioning complex plugin work. Thanks!