Had to pick between a flat rate and hourly for a 3 month web design project

4 comments

4 Comments

Gotta disagree with you here man. Flat rate sounds nice but it almost always ends up biting you in the ass when clients start asking for "just one more small tweak" every other day. Hourly at least protects your time and makes them think twice before wasting it on stuff outside the original scope. With a flat rate you're basically gambling that you guessed right on how long everything would take, and in web design that's almost never the case. I've seen too many people burn out on flat rate projects because the client suddenly wants a full redesign of the checkout flow for free. Go hourly and be clear about what's included, it saves so much headache later.

hollyscott2mo ago

Wait, @shane_morgan, have you ever had a client suddenly want to add a whole new page because they found a "cool new feature" on a competitor's site mid-project?

the_sage23d ago

Oh man, all the time. That exact situation is basically a rite of passage in this industry. The worst is when they frame it like it's just a quick thing, no big deal, but you know it's gonna wreck your whole timeline. My rule now is I have a strict "scope freeze" date written into every contract. Once we hit that point, any new ideas go on a wishlist for phase two, and that phase two comes with a new proposal and a new price tag. It feels a bit harsh at first but it actually keeps the project focused and stops the client from chasing every shiny thing they see. It also forces them to really think if that feature is actually important or just a passing thought. Saves everyone a ton of frustration.

morganl712mo ago

Totally agree with @shane_morgan on this one. It's like how people always say they want to pay one price for car repairs and then get mad when they find out the engine needs more work. lol. Flat rate just shifts all the risk onto you and that never ends well.