Hey fellow freelancers! I'm curious about how you handle charging clients for time spent reading documentation for new tools or services you need to implement. Do you include that in your billable hours?
5 Answers
I recommend charging for the time it takes to understand things. I wouldn't specifically label it as 'reading documentation' unless it was something mandatory that clients provided. Just incorporate it into your overall task charge and keep it simple.
I usually charge for any time that involves project planning in my head. It helps keep my work-life balance intact. If I stop thinking about code at 5 PM, then I don't want to think about it for free, you know?
I work on a fixed-price basis, so I personally wouldn't charge for reading docs if I had an hourly rate. It just feels different to me.
Absolutely! If it's part of the job, I definitely charge for it. Reading docs is essential to getting the project right, so it counts as work time.
Yeah, it counts as working hours to me. I tend to bill it under 'research' or 'information gathering' so clients know it's all part of the process.
That's awesome to hear!