opinions on billing freelance work
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- 18 Responses
- ciocci
May be a silly question—but when billing hourly for a commission, would you also bill for hours spent in conversation on the phone with a client regarding the project, or just for physical work hours? Opinions?
Thanks.
- MSTRPLN0
It all seems like work to me .....
- agreed
what the fuck is a "physical" work hour for design?monospaced
- agreed
- lambsy0
some do. some don't. simple as that. pick one and see how it works out.
- Knuckleberry0
do
- Do, but you don't have to let the client know you're doing it. You could just bill for total hours of "work".CyBrain
- fyoucher10
Yes. Project Management.
- clearThoughts0
What about the time you spend picking your nose and watching porn online?
- ciocci0
thanks folks. the question came up in a conversation i had with another designer—who didn't. i thought it was absurd not to, i mean, it is time spent on a job—precious time i could be using to pick my nose and watch porn online.
- utopian0
YES
- baseline_shift0
Bill liberally.
- << (not someones name)baseline_shift
- Would be an excellent name. Can I steal it?metal_leg_will
- M_C_P0
do you tip on takeout?
as in, you place an order over the phone. you walk up to the counter to pick up and pay.
do you leave a tip?
- sofakingbanned0
well when estimating the project cost factor in time for phone calls, meetings, back and forth emails, etc. Don't just estimate time spent designing.
Just my 2¢
- clearThoughts0
If you are working on a an interactive project, you can factor the "Watching Online Porn" bit, as Research and Development.
- doesnotexist0
work related? yes.
- monospaced0
Although, the initial sit-down with the client to discuss the project (before accepting it) probably can't be billed for. In the end a couple of extra hours billed for phone calls doesn't have to be called-out as so. You can just lump it in to the design process and not address it usually.
- eieio0
what exactly ar physical work hours? you in construction or something? your question amounts to "when working on a project with a client should I bill them?"
- nocomply0
This comes up a lot for me, and I generally treat it like this...
If the communication/meeting is going to lead to me getting some work, then I don't charge. I always do initial consults and proposals for free, and when an existing client calls me with new work I talk to them free of charge as well.
If the communication is in any way related to an ongoing project or for some type of random advice that doesn't lead to additional billable hours then I charge for my time.
Also in my project proposals I outline estimated time for communication so the client kind of gets the hint of what will happen when they sign on.
- fooler20
heck, bill them for time spend on QBN too.
- lukus_W0
Try to be decent .. if the conversation directly relates to the client getting value from you - i.e. you are directly offering consultancy services via the phone - then charge them.
An example of this might be a 50 minute discussion about ways the client could go about re-branding their business. You explain to them the different routes they can take and your own recommendations - they learn what the best options available are. They pay for your advice.
But at the end of the day - try to factor in the way you'd like to be treated yourself if you were the client.
Make sure they know when they are paying for your time - because chances are they'll choose to skip the small talk if they are.
- basically, i think the client needs to initiate the conversation and they need to end up better off as a resultlukus_W
- boobs0
They only time the client is not paying for your time is when you have a drink in your hand.
I.e., they've invited you to their Christmas party, or site launch party, and you're literally drinking and talking about everything except design, branding or marketing.