Rant: i have a software firm, recently got a new project, found a freelancer to work on the project.

He is a very good developer but he works on the project only when he wishes to work and I am left to answer the clients about project delays.

It's so frustrating that I can't get angry on him otherwise he will leave the project and on the other side I have to answer clients. I am stuck with all the tensions in the world.

I would confront him anyway. What good is it to have all that stress and die of a heart attack. Look around for a new dev first though.

What is the product about?

@mojo2012 i try to confront him but he behaves either shy or super busy or says i have other work. Its so helpless.

Have started for a junior dev to assist him where at least I will be able to get some work done.

Just get a new dev first

Working with someone else can only work with communication, trust and respect.

All these 3 factors are missing from your developer.

Seems like a case of "You're a good dev, but you lack severely the necessary manners to be a successful good dev. In your own interest, reflect on your behaviour. A long-term business relationship is beneficial for both of us, but that requires communication, trust and respect. Which is sadly missing at the moment from your side".

@IntrusionCM @mabbott94 it's a case where he is sitting on 1st floor and has his own small office. Sits alone and codes. I have paid him 50% advance for a project to be completed by march end. Project is big and I expected it to be completed by realistically may end.

Whatever he has developed has done a superb job, but it has been slow. He works in his own way, no meetings no reply to emails no reply to messages. Go to talk with him and he will not give more than 5 minutes.
Issue is with time efforts i.e. i know if he gives 6 hours on the project, everything will be good but for some unknown reason he works very abruptly. Works for a day then doesn't work for few days then work for a few days then doesn't work for a few days

Get another dev which is slower, but more responsive.

So they even each other out

Doesn't matter even if he's the best dev in the world. If he can't work on the task assigned, there's no use of his skills.

I might be the best villain in the history. But there's no use of my skill if I find excuses not to use it ever or in timely manner.

The definition of an organization is "a group of people working together to achieve common goals". He does not seem to be working to achieve the same goals as yours, i.E. Deliver as promissed: time, quality and quatity wise.

@Nihil75 yes have started looking for one

@prash32 Just wondering, by what metric are you determining that he hasn't been working at all for days at a time? And does he say what exactly he's busy with otherwise?

@localpost he told me for a week that he is working on a module. I used to enquire daily what is he working on. He used to say I am working on a module. But after 1 week he told me he hasn't started yet.

Do you have service level agreements (SLA)? While I think the term is uncommon for freelancers, they are not for outsourcing to larger businesses. In a broader sense this means "finished before deadline" or "answers to emails in 24 hours".
As I don't know about your contract and what it says - if communication, deadlines, start-before-dates and meetings are not included you cannot "just" demand them. Of course it is not nice of them - and it is unwise as well, as good service usually equals to contract renewal - but maybe you and them do just have different expectations how to do the work, that was neither clearly defined?

If your agreement with him does include all the aforementioned - give him a warning, and ultimately do not renew the contract if they do not change.

Are you a programmer, yourself? That would be nice.

@hardCoding yes I am a programmer

@sbiewald no contract just verbal communication

@prash32 Ok, good. Two options, then:

1. You understand why the project is taking longer than anticipated, so you shield your dev from the client and give him the space he needs to complete the project. Or,

2. You complete the project yourself or together, and then fire the dev, in hopes of finding yourself another dev that is more palatable to you, for any future business.

If you need another dev, consider me :P. atleast I wont do that sit idle and noting happend

I mean, does he assure you that the deadline will be met?

@prash32 I have been in such situation. I was the freelancer but I was under depression during that time. Thus the project I was assigned to do got delayed due to my behavior of doing things abruptly just like your dev does. I backed off from the project myself and returned all the upfront amount.
I did a lot of afterthoughts about my behavior and turned out that it was time management that I needed to correct. Since then, I've been better but I don't do freelance anymore just due to the same fear that I will again go to my abrupt behavior.

@themissingbrace yes time management requires communication which is not there between us

welcome to having a firm.

regardless of the work schedule of your employees/constractors, whether it's "when they feel like it", or 9to5, when you're the firm owner, your job will always be solving the tensions you're solving now.

the best boss i ever had explained to me: "yeah, that's basically 90% of my job, shielding you from the client and finance and budgeting bullshit ao that you can be a happy dev doing your dev stuff in peace.
the remaining 10% is taxes and other paperwork"