How rates and payment work on our projects
Rates and payment terms are agreed for each project and written into the contract before work starts. This guide covers what a clear payment section contains, what to ask before you accept a project, and how to keep scope and schedule in step.
Agreed for each project, written down before work starts
Every project we bring in has its own scope, timeline and budget, so rates and payment terms are agreed for that project rather than taken from a standard sheet. The result goes into the contract before any work begins: the rate or fixed fee, the payment schedule, and what has to be delivered for each payment to fall due. Nothing about money is left to be settled later.
For the specialist this removes the most common source of friction on remote work. You know what you are paid, when, and against which deliverable, before you write the first line of code or draw the first screen.
What a clear payment section contains
- The rate or fixed fee, and the currency it is stated in
- The payment schedule, either fixed dates or milestones
- What counts as delivered and accepted for each payment
- How changes to scope are agreed and priced before the work is done
- What happens to work already delivered if a project stops early
Questions worth asking before you accept a project
Read the payment section as carefully as the scope. If a date depends on an acceptance step, check how long that step can take. If the fee depends on a scope that is still loose, ask for the scope to be written down first. A short, specific answer to each of these is a good sign, and a vague one is worth pressing on before you commit.
Ask the same of any client, including us. A specialist who asks about payment terms early reads as experienced, not as difficult.
Keeping scope and schedule in step
Payment terms hold up when the scope is stable. When something changes mid-project, agree the change and what it does to the schedule and the fee in writing, then carry on. That habit protects both sides and keeps disagreements small.
Money terms belong in the contract, not in the chat history.
What is not covered here
This guide is general. It is not tax or legal advice, and your own situation depends on where you live and how you work. For your personal tax position, talk to a professional who knows your circumstances. For a specific project, ask us before you sign and we will answer in writing.
Updated: September 29, 2026