Advice on freelancing regularly for a company?

[Paul Murray]

I've recently been approached by a local company who are looking to take me on as a freelancer they can outsource work to on a somewhat regular basis. Currently all my freelance experience has been on single jobs and therefore payment amount has been agreed upon beforehand based on an estimation of time.

This company wish me to bill per hour and pay the full amount at the end of the month.

Is it standard practice to bill for 2 hours if a job took 1 hour, 10 mins for example, or is it preferred to break it into half hour or even 15 minute time periods after the initial hour?

Also, anyone got any advice on what to specify in a contract?

Cheers.

[Katedesign]

I would suggest that you break it down into 15 minutes - don't know if that's standard practice but it's porbably sensible. I'm sure that there's a thread about contracts here somewhere. Is it a desgin agency, if so they will have their own contract. Read it well!

[Paul Murray]

Thanks Kate. I'd certainly feel easier breaking the time into 15 minute instalments, but the work will probably require me to work evenings and weekends, so I'm not sure if I should take that into account as compensation for slightly unsociable hours. Or I suppose I could ask for a higher rate instead?

I'll actually be working for a small company that creates online market research surveys for some pretty big brands. They're all developers not designers so they basically want me to design individual branded surveys, as well as develop a 'style' for their own generic surveys, which will probably be an ongoing thing. I'm guessing we'll just have to sit down and write a contract together

[ARRIVALS]

Good job mate, how did you find this opportunity?

[Paul Murray]

They found me on People Per Hour and got in touch :)

[ARRIVALS]

Oh nice one. I thought People Per Hour was a waste of time. :icon_thumbup:

[Paul Murray]

It's actually been pretty crap for finding work (aside from this obviously). It was just luck they were looking for someone local who can pop in and discuss their needs

[Dave L]

Just to echo earlier comments, I bill in 15 min blocks (rounded up, as required). Re: evenings/weekends, try negotiating a better rate but obviously only where working the evening/weekend is at the client's insistence.

[sdesign1]

Build the relationship but make sure you have other clients too as one day they will switch off the taps.