Debate: Push back on scope creep or just absorb the extra work?

I had a client last month in Austin who kept asking for 'one more small tweak' to their landing page. After the third round of free changes, I started wondering if I should say something or just eat the time. On one hand, pushing back might lose the gig or make them mad. But on the other hand, I spent about 8 extra hours on stuff not in the original deal, which is basically $200 in lost income. I ended up politely telling them the next round would need a new quote, and they actually backed off. Has anyone else found a good way to handle this without ruining the relationship?

2 comments

2 Comments

ben_fisher5h ago

The 8 extra hours thing is exactly why I stopped being nice about scope creep. I had a similar situation last year with a local restaurant owner who wanted "just a few menu updates" that turned into a whole rebuild of their online ordering system. Did you bill them for those first 8 hours or just write it off? I ask because if you let them eat up your time for free, they won't respect your boundaries later. The way I handle it now is I over-explain the original scope upfront in writing, and when they ask for extras I just say "Happy to add that, my rate is $X per hour for work outside the contract." It feels awkward at first but most clients actually respect you more for it. The ones who get mad and leave? They were never going to pay you fairly anyway.

the_ben5h ago

@ben_fisher you're dead on with that mindset. I read this article about boundaries being like a muscle, you gotta exercise them or they atrophy. Wrote off my own 8 hours on a similar project years ago and it still stings. That line about "Happy to add that, my rate is X" is gold, I stole that exact phrasing from a talk at a local meetup. Most people respect clear pricing more than free favors, and the ones who don't are just looking for a sucker.