> So don’t say “yes” to things that are out of scope.
To expand on this, at the end of every contract is an SOW (statement of work). This explicitly and very clearly outlines what work is to be performed, how it will be performed, when it will be performed, and how long it will take.
At the end, I like to put a small sentence. The client can always request to change the scope or add things to the scope, the consultant will provide a cost and timeline for the change and once paid for, the consultant will perform the work.
I always say "yes" when a client asks for additional work. Then I tell them how much it's going to cost in addition to what we already agreed.
The number 1, cardinal rule, always is ... never work for free. If you don't value your work, nobody else will either.
The recurring thing here seems to be that consultants keep putting limits on themselves and then justify it.
“I have to charge hourly because...”
“I have to agree to go out of scope because...”