Freelance project with a lot of revisions/exploration. How to charge when you can't estimate?

AgelosAp

Hey everyone,

been in a couple of projects recently where I wasn't able to do a good estimation and give a fixed price due to extensive revisions which happened across the board from concept to 3d, after the 3d characters had been started.
Usually I estimate a base cost through "daily rate x days estimate" and a couple of revisions included.
1) How do you handle it if a project requires a lot of revisions?
2) How do you bill/give estimates in general?
From some other posts related to this I've figured that some people may be charging by the hour or day at the end of the project, meaning you bill the client after work is done, however long it took you, but haven't seen a clear answer to this.
Also charging a fixed amount by revision, may not always be an option, since one revision may require 20 mins and another 3 hours of work.

Thanks to anyone willing to share his/hers secret jedi techniques! 

Jonas Ronnegard

I would say if the revisions are quality based and you feel they are on you, you might have to suck it up and just do it on the original payment, but if they are going off course and just figured they want something more or want something changed from the original concept then you should renegotiate.

Billing by day or hour should always be preferred but they will not always give this option,I would always try to get in a couple of days more then your original estimate for revisions, and as always it usually takes twice the time then we originally thought it would.

AgelosAp

Thanks Jonas, I agree that way works best when the client requires the upfront estimate to be kept no matter the revisions asked.
I had a dilemma on whether it's better to give a lower price and not include such extended revisions or just add a good amount of revision time in the base cost.
On the occasions where I was asked for repeated revisions and charged them extra I felt like it wasn't very well received, although these where changes on the concept as well not directly related to my work's quality.

Kevin Albers

It's hard to tell for sure, but you seem to be saying that some of the revisions were mandated when the design for a character changed after you already started on it. If that's the case, you should bill them for it, and let them know that 'the specifications changed'.  If they don't have a clear idea of what they want, that is not your fault at all. You should bite the bullet and NOT charge if it's a quality issue, even if it's rather subjective (and maybe stop doing work them after this asset, if they are really bad/picky about that stuff).

I suggest letting clients know what your rates are for 'unexpected revisions due to specification changes', in addition to providing a fixed quote when possible, before starting work (and of course, this should all be in some sort of contract/statement of work). That way they can make all the crazy changes they want, as long as they keep paying for them. Eventually they might even learn their lesson and finalize designs before outsourcing work on assets. Of course, they might just never pay you, which would suck, but would not be uncommon, if you are dealing with small-time projects.

AgelosAp

Thanks Kevin, yeah there were some changes regarding quality which I of course take as part of the process.
But specifically on one case the likeness of the stylized concept art(referring to a real person) was different than what they wanted (a more realistic likeness) and I got through to a finished textured low poly model before they realized this, even though I gave regular updates throughout, then having to scrap the head entirely and go back into sculpting.
Other than these feedback issues it's a good project for me, relatively high-profile and payments have been alright, so I'm working to maintain a good relationship moving forward, that's why I asked for your experiences in similar situations and what is accepted as normal.

Jonas Ronnegard

if you have given regular updates and they have told you to continue in that direction then it's totally a direction change on their part and you should renegotiate, make them pay for the work up until that point and do a new estimate.

HugoAKAJuice

I think that you should take a look at this document from Wiliiam Vaughan, it might help you now as well in future jobs.

AgelosAp

That's a nice find Hugo, thanks! It will certainly come in handy.

Eric Chadwick

http://wiki.polycount.com/wiki/Game_Industry#Employee_Rights

Some very good reading here about this issue. Especially the second item.