Jump to a section
“Could you just add one more thing?” is often a reasonable customer question. It becomes a problem when neither of you knows whether that thing is included.
Write down what the customer will receive before you begin. It is easier to change the work, fee, or timing while you are both deciding what to agree to.
Describe something you can hand over
“Improve the website” could mean almost anything. “Replace the supplied text and images on three existing pages, check the updated links, and send a list of the changes” is easier to estimate and review.
In this hypothetical website project, the customer supplies approved wording and images. Designing a new theme, fixing the checkout, and rewriting the content would be separate jobs. Spell that out so the customer knows what to expect.
Use the first-offer worksheet to set out the result. Your project note should answer these questions:
- Which files, pages, or tasks are included?
- What does the customer need to supply, and when?
- Who gives approval or collects feedback?
- What checks will you perform before handoff?
- How many rounds of changes are included, and what counts as a change?
- What is the price, payment schedule, and agreed delivery window?
Discuss what happens if either of you needs to pause or cancel. Confirm which final files the customer can use, whether editable source files are included, and any agreed limits on their use. These planning details belong in a suitable agreement alongside terms such as ownership, confidentiality, and liability; the list here is not a complete contract.
Agree when the clock starts
If you need final wording before starting, say so. You could offer a window such as “within five business days after receiving the approved material and agreed access.” Say which days you work and which time zone you use, and confirm the delivery date when the files and access arrive.
Agree on what happens when something is missing. You might pause the schedule and confirm a new window when the materials arrive. Do not quietly fill the gap with invented text or an image the customer has no right to use.
For remote account access, discuss the minimum permission needed and how it will end. The FTC recommends limiting third-party access to the task. Use a separate account with suitable permissions where the system supports it. Do not ask the owner to send their main password in an ordinary email or copy customer data you do not need.
Say what a round of changes includes
“One revision” can mean one changed word or a complete new direction. For the three-page example, you could define it as one collected list of changes to the updates already made, received within an agreed review period.
Explain how you will correct mistakes in the agreed work. If you missed an image you were supposed to upload, fix it. A request for a fourth page needs a separate decision about the extra work.
A hypothetical three-page website job
Give the project a beginning and an end.
- Ready to startApproved words, images, and agreed access arrive.
- Make the editsUpdate the three named pages and check the result.
- Collect feedbackHandle the agreed round of changes in one list.
- Hand overSend the change record and confirm the review period.
Ask for feedback through one agreed route. When several people send conflicting instructions, pause and ask the person responsible for approval to resolve them before you make more changes.
Price extra work before you start it
For that hypothetical website project, suppose the customer now asks for a booking form. A sample reply could be:
The booking form would be extra work. I can finish the three page updates as agreed. If you would also like the form, I can check what it needs and send a separate quote and delivery date before we add it.
Offer that only if you can competently deliver the new work. A form may bring new questions about personal information, access, and testing. If it is outside your skills, say so and leave it out.
Confirm the revised deliverable, fee, and schedule in writing before doing the extra work. If the total effort changes, revisit the project-price calculation too.
When you send the finished work, show what you completed, note any agreed outstanding items, and explain the review period. Confirm whether any ongoing support is included. Arrange removal of temporary access and handle retained files according to your agreement and applicable obligations. Both of you should be able to tell when this project has finished.