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A client meeting in a coffee shop made me drop my 'emergency' rate
I was at a place called The Daily Grind in Portland, going over a simple ductwork layout with a new client. He was nice, but kept asking for small changes that added up. After about two hours, I gave him the bill based on my normal hourly rate plus a 50% 'rush job' fee I always tacked on for last-minute work. He got quiet, paid, but I could tell he wasn't happy. A month later, I saw he'd posted online about the cost, calling it a 'gotcha' fee. It hit me that my 'emergency' rate wasn't seen as fair for the work, just a penalty for his poor planning. Now I give a fixed price for the whole job upfront, even if they call me yesterday. It stops the surprise and actually gets me more repeat calls. How do you guys handle pricing when a client needs something done fast?
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barbara_kim11d ago
Disagree completely, your emergency rate is the whole point. People who plan poorly should pay for the stress they cause. Changing to a flat fee just lets them win.
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