Meetings and retainers
Cap client meetings in the SOW
Unlimited “quick syncs” quietly eat a fixed fee. Put a meeting cap in the statement of work before kickoff.
More guides sit on the guides index.
Short answer
How many client meetings should I include in a freelance project?
Pick a number that matches the project, for example kickoff plus three check-ins plus a final review. Say each meeting is up to thirty or sixty minutes. Write that extra meetings need a written change order before they are scheduled.
Why meeting caps belong in the SOW
Unlimited calls erase the effective rate on fixed projects.
A clear cap sets expectations before kickoff. It is calmer than arguing mid-project.
How many to include
Match the project shape. Example: kickoff, three check-ins, and one final review.
Separate scheduled project meetings from ad-hoc chat and from workshops.
Example line: this fee includes five meetings of up to thirty minutes each. Extra meetings need a written change order.
What counts as a meeting
Counts: live video or phone with the client or stakeholders, workshops, review calls that replace async feedback.
Usually does not count: short async Loom replies, written feedback rounds already in scope.
Decide in writing whether five-minute syncs that become thirty minutes burn the cap.
When they want more
Pause unlimited access. Write a small change order for extra meetings.
See how to write a change order and how to price it.
Log extra calls in ScopeGuard (€9) if you want the trail in one sheet.
Paste-ready SOW line
Example: “This fee includes five project meetings (up to thirty minutes each). Additional meetings, workshops, or stakeholder calls are out of scope and need a written change order before they are scheduled.”
Pair with your exclusions list.
If you want tools later
You do not need these to use the guide. One-time files.
Also: change-order email page · blank change-order template · Payhip store
FAQ
Do Slack threads count as meetings?
Only if you say so. State your rule.
Can I bill workshops separately?
Yes. List workshops as their own line or exclusion.
Not legal advice. Match your contract and local rules. This is a process aid, not a lawyer.