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monroe smith
1,112 Pointswhen pricing a building of a website does maintenance and upkeep of content and new functionality play a role ?
can I require a monthly fee for such services ?
1 Answer
Kevin Korte
28,149 PointsIn my opinion, I would just agree on a price for future costs at the time they're needed.
When you're doing the initial project, set a project scope, lock in what's expected, sign a contract, do it, and get paid.
From that point, maintenance, updating, and new features would be priced as the work arises, with the same standard. Set a scope, set expectations, sign a new contract, do it, get paid.
I think the problem with just paying a monthly amount is that some clients will think you're available at their beckoning call, and may want or expect 20 or 40 hours worth of work this month for their $200 maintenance free or whatever you decided to charge.
I'd rather set the price each time, cause there may be a point you don't want to do the work for them, and that is your opportunity to intentionally price yourself out of doing the work.
Pricing yourself out of the market is a nice way of telling them to go away.
Kevin Korte
28,149 PointsAnother idea, is you could define a service contract though, if you wanted to to. Again though, set a scope, set expectations, and set a monthly price. Anything that falls outside of that scope of the contract would be charged in addition to the existing contract.
That would be okay too. But no matter what, build defining boundaries on what is included, what is not, and than set their expectations reasonably, so if they get mad at you because they are a toxic person, that's solely on them.
monroe smith
1,112 PointsI like the second idea , it sets a clear defined expectation talking to someone who doesn't know the task of coding would think id be cheating them I hear these statements all the time people speak to the notion that its needed in my pitch what do you feel could be a good sales point ?
Cindy Lea
Courses Plus Student 6,497 PointsCindy Lea
Courses Plus Student 6,497 PointsYes, of course. Some businesses will charge a fee for updating the content of your website & usually only allow a specified number of changes for a monthly fee. Coding is usually extra and depends on the complexity of the code. Some sites even charge a monthly fee to maintain a shopping cart if you dont want to do your own.