Raise hourly rate in the middle of the project

[cesare_decal]

Hey everyone,

I have started working with a client many months ago at a pretty low hourly rate. I have improved a lot ever since and raised my hourly rate by 50%-100% with new clients. The thing is that I can't keep it up since I am "wasting time" (aka money) because I have many other projects going on, but I don't want my client to have a bad experience with me and eventually give me bad feedback because we closed the contract too early.

What's the etiquette about this? Does it sound rude to ask for an hourly rate raise (especially with clients on a budget)?

Cheers,

Cesare

[petra_r]

To be honest in your specific case I think you committed to a project (rather than an ongoing work relationship) at a certain rate and I think you have nothing to back up a rate increase with. You've only completed two contracts since, and nothing hourly to "prove" your new hourly rate (it always looks disingenuous when someone has an hourly rate more than twice what they are working at.

Personally I would suggest you complete this contract at the current rate as walking out halfway through is not the done thing, nor is essentially blackmailing a client by hinting that you may abandon a half-done project unless you get a raise.

not saying that you are planning to do that, but that is how it would be perceived by the client.

what do you mean "you raised your hourly rate 50 to 100% with new clients," you don't have ANY other hourly contracts showing on your profile at all.....

[cesare_decal]

Thanks Petra for your tips!

when I say I've raised my hourly rate with some clients, I am referring to clients I met outside of Upwork.

[jeupereira · Accepted solution]

Hi Cesare,

I would finish the project with the agreed rate, with the same professionalism that I would for a higher paying job. In the end your reputation is your most valuable asset. Once the job was concluded I would inform the client the need to raise my rates for future jobs.

Hope it helps