Unpopular opinion: flat fees kill good client relationships

I used to charge hourly for everything, but switched to flat fees 2 years ago after a big client pushed for it. Now I spend more time arguing over scope than actually doing the work, and I'm thinking of switching back to hourly. Has anyone else dealt with clients treating flat fees like an all-you-can-eat buffet?

2 comments

2 Comments

martin.felix22d ago

Honestly this is a really common mistake people make with flat fees. They think flat fees mean you just name a price and that's it, but you actually need a super clear scope document that spells out exactly what's included and what's not. Tbh if you don't have a change order process baked into your agreement from day one, clients will absolutely treat it like a buffet. Ngl I've seen way too many freelancers just assume "flat fee" means unlimited revisions and extra features. You gotta put in writing that any change to the original plan costs extra, otherwise you're stuck arguing over every little thing.

the_holly22d ago

Wait, people actually just hand over a flat fee without a written list of deliverables?