Three years ago I let a client add "just one more page" for free. That page turned into 17.

It started with a small web design project back in 2021 for a local bakery in Portland. They asked for "just a contact form" after we agreed on the price. I said sure, no big deal. Then it was a photo gallery. Then a menu page. Then a blog section. By the time I stopped tracking, I had done 17 extra hours of work for zero pay. That one freebie cost me about $850 in lost time. Has anyone actually tried a hard limit like "three small additions included" and had it stick?

3 comments

3 Comments

nancyramirez7d agoTop Commenter

Wait, 17 hours of work for a little extra content? That math seems off. That's more like multiple full site revisions, not just a few extra pages. Three small additions is smart but you gotta define "small" real tight like a single paragraph or one image, not a whole new page layout.

wesley6397d ago

Hang on, 17 hours of work for 17 extra pages? That would mean each page took an hour, but most of those sound like they'd take way less time if she was just copying content into a basic template. A photo gallery or a menu page with existing info is maybe 20 minutes per page tops. 17 hours feels more like she was building everything from scratch including custom layouts and design work, or maybe she's counting the back-and-forth revisions and phone calls with the client. I get that it adds up fast though. On the limit idea, I've told clients "three quick changes included after that it's hourly" and it worked okay, but I had to get real specific about what counts as a change.

henry1507d ago

Oh man that bakery story hits close to home! For me what actually stuck was writing out exactly what I'd do for free right in the contract. Like "I'll adjust text on three existing pages and swap two photos no charge" all typed out clearly. Then I added a line that says anything new like a whole page or a new feature starts at $50 per hour with a minimum of one hour billed. The first time a client tested it I just pointed to the paper and said see this part right here. They grumbled but they paid. After that they started thinking twice before asking for extras.