That time I brought a flat fee contract to a coffee shop meeting in Austin

Last month I sat down with a new client at a coffee shop in Austin and handed over a flat fee contract for a website design. They spent 15 minutes just staring at the total, then told me they were used to hourly rates and wanted to know where the money went. Do you guys ever run into clients who get suspicious of flat fees even when it actually saves them money?

3 comments

3 Comments

sanchez.julia1d agoTop Commenter

...and that's when I told them to look at the total hours they'd usually bill for a project like this and compare it to my flat fee. Most clients get it once they do the math, but some folks just can't get past the idea that you might "win" on a flat fee if it goes faster than expected. I started breaking down the scope into clear deliverables and tying each one back to a rough time estimate, even with a flat rate. That way they can see the value without worrying about you dragging your feet. Plus, I always remind them unexpected revisions don't cost them extra, which usually shuts up the skeptics real fast.

adam4141d ago

Respectfully, I see it a bit different on the flat fee thing. To me, you're basically selling your speed and efficiency for the same price as your slowness, which can backfire if the client thinks you're rushing. I'd rather just bill hourly and show them exactly what they're paying for, no guesswork on either side. The revision part is nice but some clients will abuse that "unlimited" thing and you end up working for free. Just my two cents from getting burned a few times.

wells.evan1d agoProlific Poster

Totally see it the other way honestly. Flat fees can bite you if the client suddenly wants a bunch of changes that weren't in the original scope, and then you're stuck eating that time. I've had clients try to squeeze in extra rounds of revisions thinking it's all covered, and then I'm the bad guy when I say no. The breakdown of deliverables thing helps, but some clients still treat it like a buffet and you end up working way more than you planned for. Hourly at least keeps things transparent on both sides, nobody's guessing what's included.