45 hour working week?

[DallasDad]

OP

Are you used to previously doing a 35 hour week?

If so ask yourself can you consistently do a 9 hour day? for the duration of the contract.
With lunch and your commute time added on, what does the day length add up to?

Is 45 hours the norm for that client or are they pushing up the hours in a bid to shorten your deliverable lead time?
If so are you really comfortable you can deliver in the expected time frame?

I used to do very long hours including silly distances to client sites as a field engineer, it wasn't just the lack of 'me' time at the end of each day but the knock on effect meant weekends were often about recovery rather than doing stuff!
Old age is getting the better of me now and I would pass on those sort of hours especially if it was my first contract.
Don't jump in without thinking it through.

[Drei]

I think the OP might miss the fact that contractors don't get paid lunches?

So 9 hours means 8 working hours so 40 hours a week with 5 being lunch, unless they want 9 worked hours plus lunch (does it say how long the lunch break is?) however since OP stated 9 to 6 then I would say yes... that is a 40 hour contract + lunch.

If I had a 37.5 hours contract I would take 30 minutes lunches since 8 hours a day x 5 is 40 minus the 2.5 lunch is 37.5. If I wanted longer lunches I would finish later.

By all means negotiate with them and say, I will only take 30 min lunches can I do 9-5:30? or say you won't have any lunch and leave at 5?

[fidot]

By all means negotiate with them and say, I will only take 30 min lunches can I do 9-5:30? or say you won't have any lunch and leave at 5?

A client should never agree to that for fear of breaching Working Time Directive. I know it's your call and that you're not an employee, but clients must not be seen to be forcing breach of WTD on anyone.

[northernladuk]

A client should never agree to that for fear of breaching Working Time Directive. I know it's your call and that you're not an employee, but clients must not be seen to be forcing breach of WTD on anyone.

How can it be a breach if it doesn't apply?

[fidot]

because clients (and HR departments within clients) are risk adverse

[northernladuk]

because clients (and HR departments within clients) are risk adverse

In all the contracts I've worked I've never had a thing to do with HR. I'm engaged as a supplier through the project.

[SueEllen]

How can it be a breach if it doesn't apply?

Some clients make you "comply" with it on-site due to health and safety regulations.

They only care about not getting sued.

[dx4100]

45 hour week you say ?

After careful consideration I am going to have to say no

[dx4100]

Some clients make you "comply" with it on-site due to health and safety regulations.

They only care about not getting sued.

So your basically acting like an employee, getting instructions like and employee and being treated like an employee....

[SueEllen]

So your basically acting like an employee, getting instructions like and employee and being treated like an employee....

Complying with the client's health and safety requirements is not acting like an employee.

The client is jointly responsible if you kill or injure someone, even if that's yourself, and there are sufficient health and safety laws to enforce that.