Question about working offsite

[Amar]

Hi all,

I am new to contracting and found this forum to be of great help. I created a thread before today but its no where to be found on the forum, therefore i need to ask the same question again.

Its been three weeks since i started on this 6 months rolling contract. The client has asked me to go to another site with them for two days. Previously when i went to this place, it was a day trip and we got back 3 hours late, so i invoiced the client for those extra hours. This time its a longer period so i dont know what to do.

What kind of arrangements can i come up with the client? Or is this part of the job? What can i charge them or ask from them in return for me spending 2 days away from home.

Many thanks.

Amar

[thunderlizard]

It depends on the terms of your contract. Depending on those, either you have to do it or you don't.

If you don't, it's in addition to what you're already contracted to do, and you're free to negotiate whatever terms you like.

[scooterscot]

I had a similar situation back in my first contract, like yourself I charged the client every minute I was on the road. Thankfully it never amounted to more than a few days a month.

However for myself I was working away from home in the first place so working offsite was not a big deal for me. Which kind of brings me to my point, you give up some comforts when contracting. My advice is make sure you charge every-time and remember why you began contracting. I stuck a picture on the inside of the wardrobe so I'd never forget.

[Amar]

Hi guys, thanks for the replies. The problem i have got is that i dont have anything in the contract to say this. However like i mentioned that last time i visited the client site, we were 3 hours late getting home and i charged the client for that and they paid. This time however i will be staying in a hotel overnight with client's other employees and getting home next day. Therefore what is the standard practice?

Although i estimate that the meetings which will take place on other site will typically will last between 9am-5pm, i still think that i should get paid for working away from the contracted site and not being able to do my own things in the evenings i am away from home.

What do you experienced contractors do? because i dont know what to ask for really.

Here is what i think, because i have just started contracting recently, i will charge the client for normal hours 9-5 and not ask for anything extra. However i will speak to the client and let them know that any other work involving off site work will incur extra cost, because i dont think the client's permanent employees will be staying there away from there familes for free?

[NotAllThere]

If I'm working away from my normal site at the behest of the client, I expect them to pay for my travel and subsistence costs. If on a professional working day, then I just continue to charge that. If on an hourly rate, I charge for travel time, and working time.

If I'm away over a weekend, it depends what the client has planned to keep me entertained.