Had to pick between a flat fee of $500 or a 5% commission on a $15k gig

I was negotiating a freelance design contract last month for a website rebuild. Client offered two payment options. I took the flat fee thinking it was safer. Turned out the project ballooned way past scope and I ended up making way less per hour than if I'd gone percentage. Anyone else get burned picking the wrong pay structure?

3 comments

3 Comments

max_schmidt7712d agoMost Upvoted

Laugh now, cry later when scope creep adds 20 hours. I took a flat fee once thinking I was being clever, then the client asked for "just one more revision" ten times. Safe to say my hourly rate dropped to about minimum wage by the end.

beng5112d ago

Negotiate a cap on scope changes before picking your structure next time.

craig.parker12d ago

Wait, is that actually enforceable though? I used to think a cap would scare clients off, but watching a friend get burned on a flat fee last month totally changed my mind lol.