The sentence that turns 'just one more revision' into a paid change order
You know the exact moment it happens. The project is done — delivered, approved, invoiced — and then the message arrives: "just one more revision." Then another. Then a "quick call" to discuss a feature that was never in the brief. Nothing in that exchange is a negotiation. It is a leak, and it runs in one direction: your hours out, their scope up, your fee exactly where it started. Here is the…
The moment arrives when a project is completed, approved, and invoiced, only for the client to request one more revision. This seemingly minor request spirals into a cascade of additional revisions, ultimately affecting the freelancer's earnings. The true cost lies not in the revisions themselves, but in the disruptions they cause - context-switching back into the finished project, re-opening closed files, and delaying the start of new projects.
Charging for these free revisions is not a fee, but a loss of revenue that most freelancers overlook. To combat this, a simple sentence should be included in the contract: revisions beyond a certain number, or work outside the agreed scope, will be billed as a change order at the agreed rate. This straightforward clause prevents scope creep and ensures both parties understand the financial implications of any changes.
Implementing this clause at the beginning of a project, rather than addressing the issue mid-project or through invoices, fosters professionalism and reduces the likelihood of unpaid invoices.
Written by urgent.news from Dev.to's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
