Freelance Q
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- Nightshade
so my client asked me to visit them for a meeting to discuss new work, which resulted in 2 days work.
the meeting took 45 mins to travel to, 1 hour for the meeting, and 45 mins to travel back.
do I charge them
a) nothing since I got the extra work
b) 1 hour for the meeting
c) 2.5 hours for the meeting and travelling
d) 1 hour for the meeting, and 1.5 hours at a reduced rate for the travelling?
- jamble0
Do you include meetings and travel expense in your contract? If so, (c)
If not, (a).
- Nightshade0
I have no contract with them
- noneck0
What was the meeting like? Was it them going, "We want X, Y, Z" and you writing shit down? If so, no bill.
If you spent an hour using your noggin, helping them understand their problems, and possible solutions to the problems, bill.
- babaganush0
How big is the job?
- babaganush0
Big? (a)
Small (b)
- Nightshade0
The meeting was "We want X, Y, Z, what do you think? Oh ok we'll do A, B, C"
Since it was a small job (2 days) I'm thinking charging (b) isn't out of the question.
- inkpink0
X + Y + Z = A + B + C
or yeah, sorry no money for you. 1 hr meeting is debatable, but billing travel time for initial project brief is not going to go over well.
- zenmasterfoo0
You should build it into your costs for the project. Send them a contract that has travel and meeting time expenses to be covered in all work done. Include it as a line item on your bill at the end of the project.
- M_C_P0
I think it depends on what your definition of billable hours is.
this is gonna differ for everyone, but in my mind, talking about potential work is work and therefore billable.
anytime i trade time for my family with time for my work, someone is getting billed, be it for driving, meeting about work, or actual work.
how you bill it is another question entirely. pull a ticketmaster and do a $ 40 "convenience" charge. or have a line item for hookers and booze "for creative inspiration"
- <<<< What he says, especially the misc expenses....fyoucher1
- bored2death0
somehow I came up with 4hrs.
- gramme0
Time = money. Build it into your design fee.
- capn_ron0
I've never billed for short travel or meeting time, but now that i think about it, i should be. My contract will be updated asap to include this information. That way if I don't charge, they think they are getting a deal.
- fyoucher10
= Project Management = Billable
- Nightshade0
Thanks for all your responses. To clarify, I think there is a difference, in terms of charging, between a sales pitch and discussing options for work that is going ahead. The latter is definitely chargeable. Especially as in my case, it really could have happened at the start of day 1 of the work.
It's now obvious that I should have made the client aware of the meeting/travelling charges before it. Then I would have no trouble charging them for it.
I should also have a contract for such work. Does anyone have/ know where I can get one?
- gramme0
Why do they need to know hourly breakdown? Just tell them what the job would cost.
Honestly, I don't think you need a contract for 2 days of work.
Anyway, AIGA has just about everything you need re: contracts.
http://www.aiga.org/resources/co…