My favorite customers are the ones who trust me and trust the process.
With custom work, the original scope matters. If someone asks, “While you’re here, can you just…” I do not make it awkward, but I also do not automatically absorb the extra work. I explain that I can probably handle it, but since it was not included in the original quote, I need to price it as an add-on before moving forward.
Most customers understand that once it is explained.
The same goes for changes and progress updates. I am always happy to keep a customer informed, but frequent changes or check-ins can interrupt the workflow and gradually turn the original vision into something closer to designing by committee. When that level of involvement is known ahead of time, it should probably be reflected in the quote.
I try to prevent most of this by including clear details and expectations in the original quote, but you cannot anticipate every request before the work begins. A clear quote and contract give everyone something to work from and make it easier to handle changes fairly when they come up.
At the end of the day, people are still going to do peoply things. The best approach is to communicate clearly, stay flexible when possible, and make sure additional work is treated as additional work.
