I charged by the hour for years, then switched to fixed project rates last quarter

I always thought hourly was safe, you know, you get paid for every minute. But last quarter I took on two similar website builds, one at $75 an hour and one for a flat $3,500. The flat rate project forced me to plan everything upfront, set clear limits, and actually made me more efficient because I wasn't watching the clock. The hourly job dragged on for almost 90 hours with constant small changes from the client, and I felt guilty every time I billed. With the fixed price, I finished in 45 focused hours, the client was happy with the set scope, and I made way more per hour of my actual time. The difference was having a solid contract that listed exactly what was included. Has anyone else made this switch and found a good way to estimate those project prices without undercutting yourself?

2 comments

2 Comments

skyler_white1mo ago

Oh man, same here. I switched to fixed rates for logo and brand packages last year. The key for me was taking my old hourly rate, guessing how long a project should take, and then doubling that number to cover the inevitable revisions and client emails. My first few flat fee projects paid way better than my old hourly grind.

the_simon1mo ago

Yeah, that "doubling" trick @skyler_white mentioned is so key. I started adding a specific line item in my flat fee just for "project management" which covers all those check-in calls and emails. It stops clients from feeling nickle and dimed for every quick question.