Date: 10/06/06 (WebDesign)    Keywords: software, web

In June I designed a gallery website for a local photographer. At the time it was discussed that she would want to make ongoing changes to the site, small text amends and swapping-out images in her portfolio, and I assured that it would be a simple process. I asked, as I always do, if she would be interested in learning to use the software to update her own site and she said no, that she would rely on me to make any changes for her.

When she agreed the quote for the site, I sent her a copy of our terms and conditions which clearly state:

After work on the client's web-site has been ceased, **** will not be held responsible for the maintenance, monitoring or upkeep of said site unless otherwise agreed in writing.

A couple of weeks ago she called me and asked me to cost up how much 16 new pages to add to the gallery would be. When I sent her the quote for the new pages, she didn't reply to my email, so I assumed she was (as I suggested) getting quotes from other companies.

Then last week she called me and asked me to make some changes to her pricelist 'as a favour'. I said that of course I would make the changes, but naturally there would be a charge for doing so. She asked how much and I told her that we had discussed our hourly rate at our initial meeting and that changes to the site were charged at our usual hourly rate, with a minimum fee of £10 per amendment. This is the same arrangement I use for ALL my clients (I currently maintain 63 websites) and have never had any mis-communication before.

Today, her husband called me. He told me that 'all the other web design companies he'd obtained quotes from had included the price of maintenance in their prices' and that he had just assumed we were doing the same'.

Does anyone here (UK-based or other) quote on this basis? And, if so, how the hell can you give a quote based on a contract that may extend indefinitely and incur infinite workhours???!!

Source: http://community.livejournal.com/webdesign/1174978.html