This is a throw away account, in case I end up working with someone that reads this post.
I’ve been lurking on this community with my main account for a few months now. I have ideas on what I’d like to self-host but between my ADHD, perfectionism, and anxiety, I’m frozen.
I need help selecting and implementing an initial set up. I’m not an IT professional but I’m a reasonably advanced user, so I’m confident I can do the setup work and ongoing management myself. I just need someone to:
- Discuss the big picture of what’s involved in self-hosting and help fill in gaps in my understanding;
- Help me decide on the best initial setup for my needs and skill level;
- Hold my hand during the setup phase and make sure I’m not doing anything stupid;
- Ideally be available long term for the occassional question.
I’m willing to pay a fair hourly rate for this assistance. If someone in this community is interested, please dm me. You might want to use a throw away for that too, assuming this work can’t be done anonymously.
Alternatively, any suggestions for good websites to find a consultant, and what skills I should be looking for, would also be greatly appreciated.
Thank you for reading. Wishing you all the best for 2026.
Edit: I appreciate all the offers for free help on this forum.
I perhaps didn’t explain well enough that what I really need is a knowledgeable coach, who can get me moving and provide guidance. I bought the Official Pi-hole Raspberry Pi 4 Kit a few months ago and it’s still sitting on my desk gathering dust. Embarrassing but true.
Why are you going to pay for that when there is a huge selfhosted community willing to help and answer any question.
Because they want step-by-step guidance and support, and design help, and long-term support, not just a few questions answered.
This is a job. The kind of work that IT consultants get paid for. A fair rate would be US$100/hr, minimum, for an independent contractor.
It’s not wrong to want to reward someone for providing an above-baseline service, which is what we (usually) can at most do here. Among other things, they are literally asking for someone to hold their hand. That’s instruction-level commitment, not just “passerby internet comment”-level commitment, and I see it as fair to both request the service for a price and provide the service for a price.