I recently hired a programming team to do a port of my iPad app to the iPhone and Android platforms.

Now, in a separate contract, I am asking them to implement a bunch of tips on how to play the app, similar like you would find in Candy Crush or Cut the Rope. They want to charge 12 hours @ $35/hr for the "Testing all of the Tips", telling me that normally it would take them more than 25 hours but that they will 'bear the difference'.

I am not familiar with this level of itemization, but maybe it's a new practice? I am used to devs doing their own quality control, and then having a testing/acceptance period.

They are using Cocos 2D-X, and they say that the tips going to multiple platforms makes all of the hours jack up. I feel like they might be overcharging, and it's difficult for me to know because it's kind of like with a mechanic. "It took us 5 hours to replace the radiator". How can you dispute that?

It seems to me that most of you would charge for the work but NOT for hours that you are 'testing'. Am I missing something?

Thanks for any help and advice you can give!