Freelance charges question!

[poiuytrewq]

I was asked recently to look after one horse, new client over the bank holiday weekend. I did Saturday pm-Tuesday am twice a day.
When the lady enquired I told her what I charged per hour and that I charge a minimum of an hour but will try and make up time where possible (eg if I go to bring a horse in I’ll also poo pick or tack clean to make it take up more of the hour they pay for) but that I was happy to negotiate being so little work. She said ok, I went to see them, money wasn’t mentioned.
Job took all of 10 minutes am and 25 pm
I need to invoice but feel terrible to charging two hours work for that.
They are obviously not your single horse owner struggling to afford it all but
Thoughts?

 

[Tarragon]

How far did you have to travel to get there?

 

[ihatework]

You are freelance, you set your rate, you bill your rate! Just invoice you minimum hour per visit.

 

[chaps89]

I pay all 3 of my freelancers for an hour whether they’re there 10 minutes or 60! (After that I pay in half hour blocks) presumably there was some travel time involved, it was also a weekend and a bank holiday day so I would just bill the two hours a day, it’s what you said when you looked around.

 

[little_critter]

You made your rates clear up front and they accepted them.
I can understand why you feel funny charging a full hour, however, if you were to charge less is it worth your while?
As mentioned above, also consider your travel time / costs.

 

[Vodkagirly]

Charge your minimum rate. While the job was quick you need to travel/schedule around it.

 

[poiuytrewq]

It’s about 5-10 mins away!
Normally I’d not bother but I’ve never had such an easy little job!
Pony is deep littered, poo’s on one pile, they left two barrows so I didn’t have to empty at all!
Taps next to the stable, as was hay. Horse was at the gate to come in every pm. Only one pile to get from the field!

 

[poiuytrewq]

To be fair scheduling around it was the issue. It was days I had other work on in the opposite direction so had to fit in, which was fine as it was so quick but not something I’d want to be doing daily

 

[SantaVera]

Charge the agreed price

 

[SantaVera]

Just to add I'm paying someone £25 an hour for a one off job at the yard. It's worth this to me to get the ad hoc help and get the jobs done. This is a lot more than the person usually earns but I offered this as it's worth it to me to get the help I need. If it was regular work for the person I would offer £15 an hour on a regular basis. It isn't regular and I just want to reward the work done by the person appropriately to show my appreciation.

 

[sport horse]

If it makes you feel better one of my freelance staff charges double on Bank Holidays.

 

[Squeak]

I pay a freelancer for an hour for a horse that's 10 mins max morning and evening (I leave everything ready) and they live 10 mins away. I appreciate it's got to be worth their time and that they've had to come out of their way to do the horse and that they're reliable.

 

[limestonelil]

Charge your rate and stop fretting about it. It isn't as though your clients hadn't been told how much.. You were efficient, reliable, don't charge extra for travelling etc,.
I wonder if plumbers and electricians decorators etc give themselves the same angst OP.
But I understand what you are considering and why.

 

[JackFrost]

Sounds fair. Even if you are only there a short time you are taking the responsibility for her horse and giving your expertise to check it is well.

 

[fidleyspromise]

I'd rather pay more and have someone reliable than pay less and worry about my horses therefore you are worth not just the 10 minutes etc that you are there but your time to and from and the peace of mind that the owners have plus your insurance, fuel costs etc.

 

[Melandmary]

If it makes you feel better one of my freelance staff charges double on Bank Holidays.

I use freelancers whenever I go away and one of them charged me time and a half for Saturdays and Sundays. My regular freelancer no longer does weekends or bank holidays so I have just found someone else. Basically there aren’t that many that are willing to work for one off clients at weekends and therefore you do expect to pay the going rate and even a premium rate if necessary

 

[Nasicus]

So assuming it took 10 minutes there and 10 mins back, you did 30 mins and 45mins, if that helps put it into perspective? 1hr 15mins total which means it's tipped over into the 2nd hour.
Plus, you told them your rates, and they agreed to it!

 

[Polos Mum]

As a horses at home owner - I'd be delighted to pay for someone's reliability, availability and flexibility.
I'd be paying for the piece of mind knowing that they were well looked after - which is invaluable.

I don't think the time necessarily comes into how I would view it.

Esp if you didn't up the rates for a bank holiday and you fitted them in as a new client.

Here (West Yorkshire) you can't find people to call in and check on horses for love or money (lots of money!) - they are all booked into the next century

 

[Mrs B]

A good few years ago, I used to feed, rug & turn out for other liveries on weekday mornings if they couldn't manage it before work.

One livery asked me if my rate would be less for their horse as it was in a field right by the stable block and I would have less far to walk than I had for another liveries.

My reply was 'No. I will be there when I say I will, and your horse will have the same care and attention I would give to my own - you're paying for peace of mind, not the number of steps to the gate.'

 

[dominobrown]

I would stick to you standard rate… if the person thinks you were excellent, and tells their friends how little you charged etc etc, then they might expect the same and then get the “well you only charged her so and so” etc and it’s not worth that hassle.