Agreeing contracts/terms with clients

[cakeaddict]

Can anyone advise? I've started freelancing relatively recently. It's going pretty well in terms of work/clients etc but I'm having a bit of a problem with work not always materialising (e.g. someone will ask me to do 6 'things', which I quote for & plan for, but for one reason and another - usually projects being redefined at their end - only 3 'things' ever materialise so I end up having to bill half of what I was originally expecting). Is this just something I have to get used to as a freelancer?

I now have to negotiate a contract with a new client. They want me for a set number of hours per week over a long period, but it's possible that they won't always need me for the full amount of time. It seems I'm the one taking all the risks - if they need me, I get paid. If they don't, I don't.

Again, is this uncertainty just part and parcel of being a freelancer, or is there something I can negotiate into the contract to give myself a bit more certainty??

ramp up the hourly rate till they start to treat you like a hired professional not a skivvy

Put into a contract a minimum number of hours, so you get paid those hours whether you work or not.

I have one client, for example, who will email me a website update that will take me, at most, 5 minutes. But my contract with them says I am paid for a minimum of 1 hour of work every time I work for them, even if it takes less than an hour.

Especially important if you are turning away other work in order to be 'available' for this client. Doesn't have to be like mine, could also be 'guaranteed 4 hours a week' and you bill them 4 hours whether or work them or not.

DH and I quote by the day or half day. that focusses minds too !

And yes, NEVER let on how little time it takes you to do some things.

Thanks for the input, I'll give it some thought. And yes, TalkinPeace, I have already started working on the minimum half a day thing.

I'm generally a pretty efficient person and when not mnetting tend to work quite quickly. When employed I had a reputation for doing things quickly / in less time than colleagues. Now I'm a freelancer, I'm realising this isn't necessarily a virtue!

Yes cakeaddict - being a fast worker definitely has its downsides! I have a contract for a couple of days a week work with one client which I quite like because it gives me the freedom to work for other clients but I charge them minimum of 1/2 a day if they ask me to do some work for them (whether or not it materialises)