and further to what Lez has said.... Some folks think it's harsh to use such strict change control. I say no way. Clients end up appreciateing it because everything is so detailed they aren't left with any grey areas....they aren't left guessing what the outcome may be...it's right there in black and white...all changes documented...no confusion.
Just like being the grocery store...prices in stone...ya know aht ya get cause it says so right on the price tag for the product ;-) Cheers Bryan Stevenson B.Comm. VP & Director of E-Commerce Development Electric Edge Systems Group Inc. phone: 250.480.0642 fax: 250.480.1264 cell: 250.920.8830 e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] web: www.electricedgesystems.com ----- Original Message ----- From: "Les Mizzell" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "CF-Talk" <[email protected]> Sent: Thursday, December 29, 2005 10:09 AM Subject: Re: A Contractor or Two >> When I 1st started contracting I had a hard time saying my rate out load.... > > Yea, same here. But, I'm almost too busy now, so maybe it's time to > raise rates a little bit. I don't back down on them for anybody. > > I now do most jobs in phases: > > 1. Meet with client and work out site map and site functionality > 2. Draw up a detailed contract specifying deadlines for things and > whom is supplying what. > > Two things I'm always careful about: > > a. Client is responsible for delivering *all* content to me by a > specified date or that voids my "complete" deadline. > > b. I do a very detailed site map listing all features. If they try > to sneak a single additional feature in after development has > started, then it's an *addition*, is billed additionally and > adds additional time to the "complete" date. > > 3.Once all the above is approved, I get a partial payment > (usually 1/3rd) before I do anything else. Until I get this > payment, they're not going to see a single layout, because > I had a client walk with my layouts, call me on the phone and > go "we've decided to try something else", and then *use* the > layouts for their site anyway. The partial payment is always > enough to cover the initial graphic design. > > 4. From there I plow into the site/application structure, CSS and > all that other good stuff. At some point in the process, defined > in the contract, I get another payment. > > 5. After it's all finished, unless it's a client I've worked with > before and trust, it doesn't go live until I'm paid in full. > > I've only been ripped off once in the last 10 years - and I manged to > sell the site in question to somebody else, so the system is working > pretty good in my opinion. > > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Logware (www.logware.us): a new and convenient web-based time tracking application. Start tracking and documenting hours spent on a project or with a client with Logware today. Try it for free with a 15 day trial account. http://www.houseoffusion.com/banners/view.cfm?bannerid=67 Message: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=i:4:227928 Archives: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/threads.cfm/4 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=s:4 Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=89.70.4 Donations & Support: http://www.houseoffusion.com/tiny.cfm/54
