324: Thou shall agree on costs in writing before beginning each project

Commentary If there is one subject that is going to cause disagreement between a client and a designer, it’s money. Clients do not like “surprises,” especially those of the “project has gone up in cost” kind! So, to avoid dispute, confirm the crucial question of how much a project will cost. Whether working to a fixed fee or a day rate, make sure you have it in writing and get the client’s explicit acknowledgment of the sum. In addition, if you are preparing a quotation, make sure that all elements of the prospective job are included: corrections; print management, meetings, commissioning of photography and illustrations, and so on. If you can’t, then declare on your quotation that certain aspects of the project are to be confirmed. If the client un....PD