Billable hours??

[C.E.]

So as per my new contract/agreement with my client, she's getting charged per hour for work. I thought there was a thread here somewhere but it didn't turn up in my searches, so I figured I'd just ask (again if necessary). So...

What hours are acceptable for billing? Obviously, the work. But what about phone conversations? Reading/responding to emails? Is there a percentage of "forgivable" hours? (Don't ask me what that means, it just sounded good LOL.) Any resources out there or sites to point me in the right direction?

[balou]

I don't think there's hard and fast rules on this - not that I've seen anyways. Each freelancer is going to give you a different answer to these questions CE. I think you'll need to decide these on your own. My only advice would be for whatever you decide, be consistent.

For myself, I'll track phone conversations if they're over 5 minutes. Emails, no, unless it's part of sending out proofs. I did some training in the past and I specified that emails and phone calls would all be charged at a minimum of 10 minutes of time each occurrence.

Good luck!

[budafist]

For freelance, we are only billing concepting, design or illustration time. Emails, phone conversations, consultations (unless they are next to us on the computer) are not billed.

We might be a minority though. But the way I see it, yeah, I know we are spending time doing these things, but do you get charged by any other trade/service for your phone calls or emails? No you don't...well maybe lawyers...

[ArchVis]

If it were up to my wife, I'd bill my clients if I thought about their project while walking to the store. It's a judgement call, and being fair and consistent is most important. I bill for phone time IF it's time I'm spending cleaning up a mess they sent me, but otherwise not. The only time I bill for a project while I'm not actively working on it is if my computer is doing the rendering. Then it's a reduced rate because it's machine time, not my time.

[Seapony]

I don't think there's hard and fast rules on this - not that I've seen anyways. Each freelancer is going to give you a different answer to these questions CE. I think you'll need to decide these on your own. My only advice would be for whatever you decide, be consistent.
I agree with Balou.

I know folks who charge for travel time tolls and gas, as well as any time spent on a phone or e-mail conversation. For them, the clock starts ticking when they direct any specific time, resource or attention towards the client.

I charge for e-mail and phone when work is involved. That is if the client calls and asks me to go to the computer and make a revision, or review something, or I have to forward something to a vendor, etc. The simple fact that I have to stop what I'm doing, go to my office, turn on the computer and direct time towards the project for me constitutes work. I would only charge for travel time if it was an excessive distance or particularly expensive (parking in the city starts at nearly $10.USD for the first half hour—and I won't travel on mass transit after a certain hour).

I don't charge if I have a conversation or discussion about the work, however if the calls are persistant or exceedingly disruptive, that is, I have to stop what I'm doing to direct my attention to the client for an extended length of time, even if it's for no reason other than to pander to them, then I will warn them that it can incur additional costs. Usually that keeps the more inane calls at bay. However, I have been known to conference call with other vendors to discuss printing or other details and not charge. I can recall one such conversation over a project that was about a half hour long because I was in a heated debate over the output of the print. That wasn't the client's fault so no charge.

In short, you have to always maintain a level of control over the situation and charge if you feel you are dedicating too much time at any given moment to addressing the client's needs (say, after 15 minutes or so, much less if it's at an unreasonable hour). Remember, if a client had his/her own way, you'd be at their beck and call 24/7. If you don't establish some guidelines and back it up with the possibility of an added expense, they'll likely run all over you.

:)