How to Avoid Scope Creep as a Freelancer

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Want to know what to do when a freelance project has gotten out of hand?

One of the most important skills in managing clients is knowing how to avoid scope creep. Scope creep eats into time and budgets and is one of the most common challenges you’ll face in your freelance career.

Whether you’re a designer, developer or writer, let’s take a look at why freelancers are particularly susceptible to scope creep, how to prevent it from the offset, what to do when it happens during a project and how to leverage scope creep to your advantage to commission more work.

What is Scope Creep?

Scope creep is when a freelance client asks for work or changes beyond the project agreement. Even seemingly small requests for add-ons or additional changes can blow a job out of proportion.

Expanding requests tend to leave freelancers putting more work into a project than initially planned. Time you should be spending on other client work gets eaten up by an existing one, limiting your earning potential or leading you to overwork. 

When Does Scope Creep Happen?

Scope creep is more likely to happen when you charge a flat project rate or on a retainer basis. If you’re working for an hourly fee, you just charge for how long the additional work takes you.

In fixed fee projects or retainer agreements, you might end up doing extra tasks for free to keep a positive relationship with the client. Freelancers often feel that unless they deliver everything the client requests, they may create tension in the relationship or the client may walk.

A project is a set of requirements and a defined end point.

A retainer agreement is a set of rolling tasks and/or allocated time slots (read more about retainer agreements here).

What Causes Scope Creep?

It’s important to note that your client is probably not trying to score free work from you. There tend to be a few main reasons for scope creep:

1.Not creating a specific enough project agreement.

Before working with any client you should create a project agreement that outlines the scope of work and what is and isn’t included. Ambiguity in project agreement is not your friend.

An example of scope creep due to ambiguity in the freelance project agreement:

Let’s say a client has commissioned you to write a copy for a brochure. In the project agreement/ scope of work document you list the number of sections: Introduction, products, services, our team.

However, you didn’t specify the number of pages you’d write copy for, or provide a rough word count for each section, or set out the number of revisions the project allows.

Now the client keeps coming back with additional information to add to each section and you’re spending significantly more time on the project than initially anticipated. Instead of a 10 hour job, you’ve spent 20 hours on the brochure, limiting your ability to take on other projects.

2. An Inexperienced Client

Another reason scope creep happens to freelancers is because the client is inexperienced. It could be your client’s first time working with a freelancer and many forget that when hiring freelance talent, you’re their partner, not employee.

A client might give you a seemingly reasonable request they would make to someone on their team but don’t realise the impact this has when you’re compensated within a set scope. This is why learning to manage a client effectively is so important for freelancers.

An example of scope creep due to not managing the freelance client:

Let’s say you manage the Instagram handle for a client on a deliverables basis that includes image curation and caption writing. However, the client keeps asking you to add a story post here and there, search for trending hashtags and to comment on posts by other accounts.

While these are seemingly small things she would ask of an employee, none of them are in the scope of work - you’re now spending extra hours to complete tasks that are not within your remit.

3. Project Changes Due to unforeseen Circumstances

Sometimes things just happen and issues arise as a project gets underway, for example:

• Your client contact may be dealing with changing demands from the wider team 

• Things can arise that weren’t anticipated at the start or the project

• Something doesn’t work as it should and as more information comes in you need to take a different approach

How to Avoid Scope Creep As a Freelancer: Pre-Project

Now we know what scope creep is and how it can show up in freelance projects, let's look into how we can limit scope creep.

Avoiding scope creep begins prior to a project kick-off - here are several things you should be doing before starting projects with clients:

Scope the Project Precisely

Making a crystal clear project agreement or scope of work document is one of the most effective ways to avoid scope creep. As a freelancer, you’ll need to think like a project manager to make sure everything is watertight with no place for ambiguity on the deliverables.

As well as listing the specific things included, you can also limit problems later on by listing items that are out of scope - this stops the client making any assumptions on what you’ll deliver.

For example, if you’re commissioned to write a blog post for a client, you might include this in the project document:

Project deliverables:
- Blog topic research
- Blog post outline
- Around 800-words
- 3 rounds of edits based on client feedback
- On-page SEO for your chosen keyword (Keywords incorporated into headings, body text and Page URLs/Titles. Meta description. Image/ video descriptions. Image/ video tags)

Items out of scope
- Keyword research
- Images for blog posts
- Uploading to your website

The “out of scope” is relatively easy to develop by going through what is included and thinking of things related to each. You might be able to generate additional revenue by providing a flat fee for completing these out of scope items.

Make your Terms Crystal Clear

Don’t start any work before having an agreement or scope of work signed by both parties.

In my project agreements I also state that when they make the 50% project deposit, the client agrees to the terms I set out. In that agreement I state that items out of scope will involve a separate estimate for additional work or be charged at an hourly fee.

Avoid Clients That are Hard Negotiators

Clients that are hard negotiators are red flags and I rarely work with those that push back on my pricing. People that take you and what you do seriously will understand why the terms outlined in your scope of work document are important and why you charge what you do.

The same goes for clients that ask you to do something and say “it shouldn’t take you very long” 🚩🚩. Freelance clients that continually push back, ask you to change your terms or try to reduce your rate are not worth your time.

Have a Clear Start for the Project

A kick off-meeting with the client to go through the scope of work is a good way to make sure everyone is on board with what is going to happen and set the expectation of what is going to be delivered.

A kick-off meeting also gives an opportunity for any ambiguity to be cleared up or flag anything that hasn’t been accounted for in the project agreement, budget or timeline.

Use Clear Communication Channels

Communicate clearly and choose an official channel for anything regarding deliverables. A client might hit you up on Slack or Whatsapp to request something, but summarise and send that request in email so there's a clear trail of what’s going on that includes everyone involved.

Identify Risks Ahead of Project Kick-Off

How to avoid scope creep as a freelancer begins in the pre-project phase. Before starting any project you can identify and try to minimise risk.

For example, if a lot of people need to feed into the design or copy, explicitly state that all feedback from the client should be consolidated. This will avoid feedback dripping in at different times or feedback requests taking the project in different directions, adding rounds to revisions and expanding the scope.

Add a Clause for Hourly Paid Work at a Very High Price

Protect yourself with a high hourly rate in your scope of work document. For example, in each project scope agreement you might state:

2 rounds of revisions are included in the project scope. Additional revision requests are to be delivered at the discretion of the freelancer for a fee of $200 per hour.

When you charge a 3-digit figure by the hour, the client will consider every request for engaging you because it has an impact on their wallet. The client is more likely to make a project run smoother and work within the initial scope of work. If they want to go beyond the scope, at least you can bill at a high hourly rate.

Get Paid at Regular Intervals

Some freelancers fall victim to scope creep because of the amount of work they’ve already put into a project. They don’t want to upset the client by saying “no” and risk not getting paid for everything they’ve already done.

With any project it’s a good idea to set milestones and get paid at regular intervals upon the delivery of each.

What to do When Scope Creep Happens in the Middle of a Freelance Project

Now we covered how to limit scope creep as a freelancer in the pre-project phase, let's take a look at how to deal with it in the middle of a project.

Sometimes, despite the best of intentions, you can be in the middle of a project and scope creep starts to happen, but that doesn’t mean you can’t solve the problem or, even better, make it work in your favour.

Absorb “Trival” Scope Creep

For “trivial” add-ons - those that are of little value, straightforward and easy to implement - it’s often worth doing them free of charge to earn some good client karma. Clients appreciate it when you can remain flexible and a few small edits can win you brownie points.

(Trivial scope creep is one of the reasons I always add a 20% padding to any project - I get good client karma without it having a negative impact on my bottom line. Read more about project padding and other advice in 8 Best Freelancing Tips for Beginners)

Tip: Always Document Trivial Scope Creep

No matter how “trivial”, make the client aware that the task is out of scope and you are doing this as a favour. Ensure that you do this in writing.

It’s also good practice to include anything extra as a line item on the invoice with a 100% discount applied. Doing so communicates that you typically charge for the extra work and the client shouldn’t expect it to be included the next time.

Documenting all scope creep also gives you ammunition if you need to say, "Unfortuantely, I can't handle more scope creep. The changes we've made already are adding up", at which point you can produce the list of discounted items.

Present a Quote for Non-Trivial Items

With any project there should, of course, be room for changes and improvements. For non-trivial changes - those that will take an extra chunk of your time or are well beyond the remits of the project - you should charge for them. This is a great opportunity to bring added value to the client and be compensated for it (as you should be).

Tip: Send a Quote for the Additions

Communicate the details of the additions, the fee and timeline in writing. If the client is willing to pay, expanding the scope of work isn't a problem as long as you have the time in your schedule. If they don't want to pay, then don't do the work. You're a business, not a charity.

If requested add-ons mean a big change in direction, I may stop work on the project altogether until the client approves changes to the scope of work. This will expedite the client’s response either way.

Alternatives to Saying “No” to Scope Creep

When it comes to clients “no is not an answer”. Being proactive to bring solutions is what will separate you from other freelancers. However, that doesn’t mean you should be taken advantage of.

If the client doesn’t have any budget to spare, it's fine to say no. An alternative is to communicate to the client that if something is added, something must be removed from the existing scope, just be sure the items are of equal value.

Should Freelancers Always Say No to Scope Creep?

How much scope creep should freelancers allow in their projects? In a nutshell: none, or as little as possible.

The whole point of scoping a project in writing in the initial agreement is to prevent scope creep. In reality, it’s good to view scope creep in regards to a client’s value:

• Small budget clients: When projects have a smaller budget it’s particularly important to set clear expectations. Doing things for free is not worth it when the fee is on the smaller end and profit margins are tight.

  If a client wants something added, explain that the deliverables are specific to the budget and scope that was discussed at the start. Anything else will have an additional cost.

• Large Budget Clients: I want to keep large budget clients coming back so I tend to be a little more flexible and won’t charge for some small non-trivial items (within reason).

How Freelancers Can Turn Scope Creep to their Advantage

Scope creep is not always all bad news for freelancers if effectively managed. A client requesting additional items can be a way for you to get them to commission paid, add on services.

When a client asks you to do things out of scope, send a quote for the work. A client that values your time and what you do will understand why you are charging for those services.

So, Is It OK to Allow Scope Creep as a Freelancer?

As long as you can distinguish between “trivial” and “non-trivial” scope creep, allowing scope creep can be a way to earn karma points with a client by doing a few extra things for free.

Scope creep is not OK for freelancers when it takes up a significant amount of time, or you find yourself completing tasks that you should be getting paid for.

When it comes to how to avoid scope creep as a freelancer, it’s important to get a watertight project agreement where all the deliverables are set out and terms are crystal clear. If scope creep begins to happen in the middle of a freelance project, you can often use it to your advantage to commission more freelance work. How do you avoid scope creep as a freelancer? What are your tried and tested tactics?