[Hidden-tech] Consulting fees?

[Herb Singleton]

On Aug 9, 2006, at 8:09 AM, Seth Seeger wrote:

>   I'm looking for suggestions on fees, etc:
>
> -How much do I charge for site-visits?
> -How much do I charge for phone/email support?
> -Do I charge for travel time?
> -Should I worry about a contract?

The first three items will depend on your field, your workload, and  
other factors, so I can't really help.

As for the fourth item, the answer is an emphatic YES. You should  
ALWAYS put something in writing that spells out your tasks, the  
resources you will need to complete the tasks, payment amounts, and  
payment schedules. It doesn't have to be a fancy lawyer-speak  
contract, a bulleted list in an email will do fine.

It's tempting to just do the job on a handshake, especially if it's  
for a friend. However, if there are any unexpected hiccups and you  
actually want to get paid in the end, you *will* need to have  
something in writing that everyone can point to.

I'll just add that I know this from personal experience.