Consultancy Work

[colinrobinson]

as its daily rate

As it's daily rate, it will be hard to explain why you want payments on milestones rather than at the usual payment schedule. It's no different to working BAU and waiting for payment 30 days later for example.

IMO OP is trying to complicate his life based on paranoia, if you are trembling in fear over payment every time you work with new client, i suggest you go back to permiedom. Life is too short.

As its daily rate, They are paying for your time and experience, the actual design isn't the issue. they will use you again if they like it or they won't. you will get paid for the time in any event.

as you've found you take on a real risk when you take on the work thats contracting! and if you don't get paid you can always write it off as a bad debt in the accounts.

[yasockie]

Since you are on a daily rate, bill at the end of the month or whatever your contract says - you are paid on time & materials basis and not for deliverables directly.

[steve80]

Thanks for your comments

[TykeMerc]

I was initially asking how you bill before or after work that's all ffs

You asked a question which implied a payment on delivery schedule and then revealed you're billing on a daily rate, the approaches to those are mutually opposing.

Daily rate is just billed at agreed intervals. Customer owns the deliverables as soon as they exist.
Deliverables is billed by deliverable. Customer owns the deliverables in accordance with the contracted agreement.

You asked a confused question which doesn't have a single or simple answer.

[BolshieBastard]

Tough these forums, eh?

[steve80]

I was initially asking how you bill before or after work that's all ffs

[jmo21]

As it's daily rate, it will be hard to explain why you want payments on milestones rather than at the usual payment schedule. It's no different to working BAU and waiting for payment 30 days later for example.

IMO OP is trying to complicate his life based on paranoia, if you are trembling in fear over payment every time you work with new client, i suggest you go back to permiedom. Life is too short.

I missed that in the post I quoted

[sal]

usually it's payment on delivery for most things.

Is there anything else other than the fact they are a new client that worries you about them?

Any way to split the document up into milestones? then pay on each?

As it's daily rate, it will be hard to explain why you want payments on milestones rather than at the usual payment schedule. It's no different to working BAU and waiting for payment 30 days later for example.

IMO OP is trying to complicate his life based on paranoia, if you are trembling in fear over payment every time you work with new client, i suggest you go back to permiedom. Life is too short.

[slice16]

For stuff like this, I typically write a Statement of Work that outlines I will be completing a Technical Design Document that will include x,y and z. Once they have signed that, I create the document, save it as PDF and send it over. I give it a couple of days for ammendments etc, and then raise the invoice and send over with my normal terms.

It really depends on what you have agreed with the client. If you have a contract in place that says 'Complete a design' and you send it over, I would invoice them once they have it.

[jmo21]

Just daily rate.

New client so I guess I'm paranoid

usually it's payment on delivery for most things.

Is there anything else other than the fact they are a new client that worries you about them?

Any way to split the document up into milestones? then pay on each?

[steve80]

Just daily rate.

New client so I guess I'm paranoid

[sal]

What does your contract says? Are there milestones or simply day/hourly rate? Often there are intellectual property clauses giving the client legal rights over your design produced under the contract.

As long as you have proof that you handed over the work, you should be able to demand payment.

What is the cause of your concern? Are there indications that the client might withhold payment or is it simply paranoia?

[SimonMac]

I've been asked to provide a technical design document but unsure if I should hand it over to my client once complete before receiving payment

What's normal practice ? Handover documents before or after payment ?

what does your contract say?

[steve80]

I've been asked to provide a technical design document but unsure if I should hand it over to my client once complete before receiving payment

What's normal practice ? Handover documents before or after payment ?