I've been doing freelance work for a while but I don't always keep track of my hours, especially on smaller projects. I usually just estimate the time, give a quote, and dive in. But recently, I went back to review one of my past projects where I initially quoted about 20 hours. To my surprise, I ended up spending 40-45 hours instead. This means my hourly rate was closer to $45-50 rather than the ~$100 I thought I'd earned. I remember the extra work—some revisions here, an additional section there, and a 'quick change' at the end—but at the time, they didn't seem substantial. It wasn't until I added everything up that I realized how off my estimates were. Do others keep track of this stuff while working, or do you just figure it out after like I do?
5 Answers
I totally relate! I often quote 20 hours, end up doing 40, and convince myself that's normal. I started using a timer recently, and it's a bit depressing to see how inaccurate my estimates are.
First job out of college, I kept doing this. After some late projects, I learned to multiply my time estimates by at least three. Yeah, it shocked my boss at first, but now I usually deliver ahead of schedule!
That makes sense. For me, it's more about those little tasks that piled up unexpectedly.
This is pretty common! At my workplace, they like to multiply what developers think will take by 2.5. So when I say 20 hours, it feels like they expect 50! 😂 But honestly, it’s a rough estimate; small things can really add up.
Haha, in my case, it seems to go the opposite direction!
It's a classic pitfall for freelancers. Tracking time while working can prevent those small revisions from adding up so much. I kept a spreadsheet for a year and realized I underestimated timelines by 40-60%, especially with external factors like third-party integrations.
Totally! It's all part of the learning curve. Glad to know it's not just me!
You should track your time live! Having accurate records helps set better prices and keeps clients aware that revisions add to costs. The ‘quick changes’ often don’t feel significant, but they definitely add up.
Yeah, I realize now that tracking from the start would’ve been smarter.
Yeah… Knowing the actual number can be a bitter pill to swallow!