How small of time increments do you charge for?

cgl102770 · 03-18-2010, 03:10 PM

I have about 20 web design clients, some hosted with me, some not. Every week or so I get a small request from various clients...upload some new pdfs, change a few lines of text,etc. They may only take 15 minutes total, though sometimes I have to go through a 3rd party admin for the often changing logins, etc, which adds a little more time.
The point being, I spend a few hours a month doing things like this that I haven't been charging for. However, a friend told me his design firm charges a minimum of $50 to touch his site, even for the slightest change. I think that's a little extreme, though I wonder how most of you handle small requests. I feel like I may be missing out on a few thousand dollars a year that I may be justified in charging. What do you all think? Thank you for any suggestions.

darrenfox · 03-19-2010, 12:09 AM

If they are really small, keep track in excel and then bill the total every quarter. That way you can get paid for what you are doing and you are not spending a lot of your time sending several invoices for very small amounts.

cgl102770 · 03-19-2010, 02:54 PM

Sounds good, thank you for the reply.

BMA · 04-12-2011, 08:34 PM

We bill in 15 minute increments for everything, and we round up all billable work to the nearest time unit. This makes sense to the majority of my clients, because we focus on home health care marketing. Most of my clients, and many other healthcare providers, bill insurance in 15 minute time units. Being from a healthcare background, that's where I got the practice.

Phreaddee · 04-14-2011, 07:22 AM

15 minute increments for me as well, although its minimum of 15, even if it only took a minute. this I bill when it becomes substantial enough to send an invoice.

I didn't about 12months ago when i had roughly 20 clients like you, and now have realised that it does add up to something substantial!!!

leroy30 · 04-14-2011, 08:06 AM

15 minute intervals for me too. If it's a key client that spends a reasonable amount of money with me then I sometimes let 5 or 10mins here and there slip through my fingers but if they are not spending any money with you otherwise then charge minimum 15 minutes and bill them monthly.

kayla · 04-16-2011, 11:52 PM

I agree with 15 minute intervals, although I've been in the same situation as you and didn't charge for small edits here and there. Another option is you could sell a small "edit package", where for $x the client gets x amount of edits per month or something. But the client might take that as them being able to request big changes and you could screw yourself over there. I'd do 15 mins, I guess.

krymson · 04-17-2011, 10:51 AM

What i do is if im hosting a clients site, they pay $25 a month and that covers hosting and "general" maintenance including uploading pdf's adding links changing text, adding images you know that simple stuff, when it comes to adding a pages and stuff i charge on a per project basis. I offer the maintenance program to all my clients in order to get them to host with me because my monthly reseller hosting fee is like 15 or 20 bucks a month that one client pays for the hosting each month and the rest is revenue. If they dont take my hosting plan its basically $20 per hour which is broken down into 15 minute increments of $5i take screen shot of the date and time of each 15 minute interval showing that i was working during that period of time so there is no dispute about the charges.

BMA · 04-18-2011, 01:53 PM

Good plan Krymson, but wow those prices seem low.

03-18-2010, 03:10 PM	#1
cgl102770 New Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 11	How small of time increments do you charge for? I have about 20 web design clients, some hosted with me, some not. Every week or so I get a small request from various clients...upload some new pdfs, change a few lines of text,etc. They may only take 15 minutes total, though sometimes I have to go through a 3rd party admin for the often changing logins, etc, which adds a little more time. The point being, I spend a few hours a month doing things like this that I haven't been charging for. However, a friend told me his design firm charges a minimum of $50 to touch his site, even for the slightest change. I think that's a little extreme, though I wonder how most of you handle small requests. I feel like I may be missing out on a few thousand dollars a year that I may be justified in charging. What do you all think? Thank you for any suggestions.

03-19-2010, 12:09 AM	#2
darrenfox Bronze Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Illinois Posts: 85	If they are really small, keep track in excel and then bill the total every quarter. That way you can get paid for what you are doing and you are not spending a lot of your time sending several invoices for very small amounts. notarypublic and kayla like this. __________________ Darren Fox Small Business Web Design

04-12-2011, 08:34 PM	#4
BMA Bronze Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Galax, VA Posts: 61	We bill in 15 minute increments for everything, and we round up all billable work to the nearest time unit. This makes sense to the majority of my clients, because we focus on home health care marketing. Most of my clients, and many other healthcare providers, bill insurance in 15 minute time units. Being from a healthcare background, that's where I got the practice. __________________ Home Health Care Marketing, Physical Therapy Marketing Home Health Care Brochures, Physical Therapy Brochures *Brazzell Marketing Agency - Be First in the Minds of Your Customers!*

04-14-2011, 08:06 AM	#6
leroy30 Gold Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Auckland, New Zealand Posts: 325	15 minute intervals for me too. If it's a key client that spends a reasonable amount of money with me then I sometimes let 5 or 10mins here and there slip through my fingers but if they are not spending any money with you otherwise then charge minimum 15 minutes and bill them monthly. __________________ DVI web design \| Portable Time Clock

04-17-2011, 10:51 AM	#8
krymson Silver Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Cypress, Texas Posts: 195	What i do is if im hosting a clients site, they pay $25 a month and that covers hosting and "general" maintenance including uploading pdf's adding links changing text, adding images you know that simple stuff, when it comes to adding a pages and stuff i charge on a per project basis. I offer the maintenance program to all my clients in order to get them to host with me because my monthly reseller hosting fee is like 15 or 20 bucks a month that one client pays for the hosting each month and the rest is revenue. If they dont take my hosting plan its basically $20 per hour which is broken down into 15 minute increments of $5i take screen shot of the date and time of each 15 minute interval showing that i was working during that period of time so there is no dispute about the charges. __________________ Jonathon Harrelson Krymson Productions Web Designer Currently AVAILABLE for work

03-19-2010, 02:54 PM	#3
cgl102770 New Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 11	Sounds good, thank you for the reply.

04-14-2011, 07:22 AM	#5
Phreaddee Diamond Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Newcastle, Australia Posts: 1,122	15 minute increments for me as well, although its minimum of 15, even if it only took a minute. this I bill when it becomes substantial enough to send an invoice. I didn't about 12months ago when i had roughly 20 clients like you, and now have realised that it does add up to something substantial!!!

04-16-2011, 11:52 PM	#7
kayla Bronze Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Ontario Posts: 56	I agree with 15 minute intervals, although I've been in the same situation as you and didn't charge for small edits here and there. Another option is you could sell a small "edit package", where for $x the client gets x amount of edits per month or something. But the client might take that as them being able to request big changes and you could screw yourself over there. I'd do 15 mins, I guess.

04-18-2011, 01:53 PM	#9
BMA Bronze Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Galax, VA Posts: 61	Good plan Krymson, but wow those prices seem low. __________________ Home Health Care Marketing, Physical Therapy Marketing Home Health Care Brochures, Physical Therapy Brochures *Brazzell Marketing Agency - Be First in the Minds of Your Customers!*

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