My first freelance logo design quote was a total guess at $50, now I charge by the hour after a client asked for endless revisions.

That one project took me over 40 hours, and I realized I was basically working for less than minimum wage. How do you all handle pricing for creative work with unpredictable scope?

3 comments

3 Comments

stella11121d ago

That "endless revisions" thing is the killer. It's everywhere now. People expect unlimited changes for a flat fee, like a streaming subscription. My friend is a mechanic, he says it's the same. Someone brings in a car for a "simple noise" and it turns into a full engine tear-down, but they still want the original quote. The flat rate model just sets you up to lose.

samreed21d ago

Actually, the flat rate is the only fair way for the client. They get a clear price up front without surprise hourly bills that can blow up. It forces the pro to be good at estimating their own work instead of just billing for their mistakes. The old hourly model just rewards working slow and finding extra problems.

nancyramirez21d agoProlific Poster

omg yes the flat rate trap is so real. my cousin does landscaping and he had this lady who wanted a "simple bush trim" for $200 flat. turns out her bushes were basically small trees that hadnt been touched in like 5 years, full of dead branches and poison ivy. he spent 3 days out there and she still expected the original price. tried to haggle him down when he said it would be more. people really dont get that a flat rate means you're paying for the standard version, not the deluxe unlimited edition.