[thelist] What would you do? -- pricing and estimating

[A. Erickson]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: thelist-admin at lists.evolt.org
> [mailto:thelist-admin at lists.evolt.org]On Behalf Of Bart Posselt

-- snip --

> The contractor we've hired to do a lot of our work got smart
> after doing a fixed-price project that took about four months
> longer than they expected. They now give us fairly loose
> estimates based on how many hours of work they think something
> might take and then charge us by the hour.

I'm curious how people feel about doing this. Just because something is
project-priced doesn't mean it can go on forever. When a client signs my
contract, they're also signing a timeline. However, I start itching when it
comes to these issues because I wonder where my leeway is.

Same with estimates. Yes, it's an estimate, but I don't like to go over it.
What about the well-meaning and sincere client who has simply gone over the
estimate? Do you always charge it back? How do you approach these
situations.

As a freelancer, this is one of those things that I guess you just get a
feel for but I'd like to hear how others do it. I worry about money issues
affecting the creative, back-and-forth relationship that I've already
developed with a client.

- amanda