Here is my situation: The catering company I cook for wants to create a website so that their pre-existing clients can place orders online. I discussed this with the owner and he would like to do it.

While I've done work like this previously, I've always done it in a traditional employer-employee relationship. I've never done freelance work. I'm wondering what steps I should take to protect myself and ensure I get paid for my work.

Any advice is appreciated! :)

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Get a contract. Write out the scope - EVERYTHING that the owner wants. Stick to it. Don't let scope creep get to you. Sign a contract & agree to a certain amount of time, development, etc.

Give the owner the scope, ask him to look over it. We also sometimes add in a few extra hours just in case. Some also add 10%, so if you think it might take you 100 hours, do 110 hours. Usually billing per job is better than per hour, just make sure that scope creep does not happen to you

Originally posted by coreybryant
Get a contract. Write out the scope - EVERYTHING that the owner wants. Stick to it. Don't let scope creep get to you. Sign a contract & agree to a certain amount of time, development, etc.

Give the owner the scope, ask him to look over it. We also sometimes add in a few extra hours just in case. Some also add 10%, so if you think it might take you 100 hours, do 110 hours. Usually billing per job is better than per hour, just make sure that scope creep does not happen to you

Why is billing per job better than billing per hour?

Also are there any sample contracts online anywhere that I could peruse?

Thanks! :)

Well most people want to know what they are going to pay for the job. If you tell them it should take 100 hours and you bill out at $75 an hour, that is $7,500. But it could only take 90 hours and you lose out on $750. Or it could take more, so you might get cheated.

I can't answer the other due to the TOS here, but I will answer it though