02 / Calculator
Build the number
Software, tools, insurance, accountant, internet, coworking.
Scope creep, an extra round, a file you have to redo.
The part that makes the project worth more than covering costs.
- Working weeks
- 48
- Hours / year
- 1,200
- Raw hourly
- $40.00
02B / File
Saved quotes
Nothing saved yet. Name the project and save the quote — it survives a refresh.
03 / Three rules
Three things a spreadsheet won’t tell you
01
The 40-hour week is a myth
If your week has 40 hours, 25 of them are billable on a good stretch. The rest goes to email, proposals, meetings, and context-switching. Pricing as if you bill 40 is giving away a third of the year.
02
Buffer isn’t greed — it’s survival
An extra revision round or a scope that stretches shouldn’t eat your margin. A 10–20% contingency is what separates a healthy project from one that puts you in the red.
03
Your floor is not negotiable
Once you know your minimum viable rate, that number is not up for debate. You can cut scope, not price. The client who only picks you because you’re cheapest will not value you later either.