Milestone on a fixed price contract

[#1]

Hi guys! Kinda new here on upwork and got hired for a project with a budget of 250$. The project is to complete 12vids including some research before the edit. The offer says first milestone funded (Video Project I = 12 videos + Research      amount:100$) meaning there is already 100$ in escrow.

My question is do i get the remaining balance from the client's budget after completing everything? The first milestone is basically the final output for the offer. So i dont understand why it should be cut to milestones.

Should i put another milestone that says Completion = amount150$ (which is the remaining balance to be earned)

[#2]

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Preston H wrote:

re: "The freelancer needs to protect his own interest and get it fully funded for the work he'll be doing."

The client may be out of line.

But it looks like you and I both agree that the freelancer set up the contract improperly.

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Yes, normally I'd say it's just a possible client mistake but after the client's comment, the dude is just a **Edited for Community Guidelines**.

I wish Upwork would list $0 contracts on a client's history so freelancers can see serial cancelers, but that's a pipe dream.

[#3]

Cedree:

I read the transcripts of your conversation with the client.

The client points out that he has spent over $200,000 on Upwork. So he is not some kind of scammer trying to get free work. And you know he has already funded $100 for your task.

He simply expects you to do the task that you agreed to.

From the transcripts I read, it seems like you are asking for more money for work you already agreed to do, for work that is already funded in escrow.

There may have been a misunderstanding on the freelancer's part about how fixed-price contracts work... Or there may have been a misunderstanding between what the freelancer was asking for, versus what the client thought he was asking for.

My advice to Cedree - for future contracts - would be to clearly specify what a fixed-price milestone entails, what the price is, what the deliverable will be.

And you may want to do what I do: For me, there is no such thing as a "budget." There is a fixed-price milestone task, and a payment for that task. That's all. A task is funded. I do the work for that task, and I get paid for that task. Even if I specify a series of sequential tasks with milestone costs associated with them, I never care if a client hires me to do subsequent tasks. If I do one task, that is fine. If I do 10 tasks, that is fine. The payment and costs for subsequent tasks are not related to earlier tasks.

[#4]

Thank you!

[#5]

The task for the milestone is the general output for the whole project but ony funded partially. It says 

Milestone 1: Video Project I = 12 videos + Research

Amount in escrow: $100.00

i am wrong for accepting the offer without asking or clarifying him why only partial. Accepted the offer and requested for him to change it. Well he took it the wrong way. 

Client replied after i ended the contract. Keeps blabbing about the 200k he spent and says will pay in full after everhting is done. 

*the project in the first place is to rip footages form youtube and edit it in a way that it will not be pinged for copyright infringement so theres that. I was having bad vibes about this the moment he made the offer. I shouldve followed my gut that time*

[#6]

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Cedree W wrote:

The task for the milestone is the general output for the whole project but ony funded partially. i am wrong for accepting the offer without asking or clarifying him why only partial. Accepted the offer and requested for him to change it. Well he took it the wrong way. 

Client replied after i ended the contract. Keeps blabbing about the 200k he spent and says will pay in full after everhting is done. 

*the project in the first place is to rip footages form youtube and edit it in a way that it will not be pinged for copyright infringement so theres that. I was having bad vibes about this the moment he made the offer. I shouldve followed my gut that time*

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lol it just gets worse and worse. Of course mr "I spent $200k" would be ripping copyrighted videos. I'm going with my original thought that this was $200k in 12 years not 1 year. What a loser.

[#7]

i already said bye and goodluck finding someone to complete the work, yet hes not yet done. he said:

**Edited for Community Guidelines**

[#8]

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Cedree W wrote:

i already said bye and goodluck finding someone to complete the work, yet hes not yet done. he said:

**Edited for Community Guidelines**

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lol I take it back. This guy is a scammer. haha  $200k "spent" $150k in refunds lol

[#9]

Hahahhahaha

[#10]

Hahahaha

[#11]

Thank you guys for all your help! Ended the contract and explained the reason politely. Gave him the links that he asked during the time being, so at least he wouldnt get the idea time was wasted. Anyway it was my kind of my fault not clarifying the contract offered.

I will definitely follow you advices and will definitely learn from this!

Thank you and god bless you all!

[#12]

Hi Cedree, 

I hope this issue with your client gets resolved soon. 

I had to edit your posts as we do not allow chat transcripts to be appended to posts, or shared here in the Community as it is in violation of the Upwork Community Guidelines. In the future, please be mindful of the guidelines when posting in the Community.