Remember when we used to charge a flat rate for a haircut?

Back in my dad's shop in Philly, it was $12 for a cut, no matter what. A few years ago, I started charging by the hour for really complex styles, thinking it was more fair. Had a guy come in for a detailed design fade, quoted him for an hour. The clipper battery died halfway through, and I had to switch tools and rework a section. Took me almost 90 minutes, and he got mad about the extra cost, even though it was my equipment issue. Learned that hourly pricing can feel like a penalty to the client if anything goes wrong, even if it's not their fault. Now I just have set prices for 'basic', 'detailed', and 'artistic' cuts to keep it simple. Anyone else move away from hourly charges after a bad experience?

3 comments

3 Comments

wendy1311mo ago

Totally get moving away from hourly. It sets up a bad vibe when things take longer, even for good reasons. Clients just want to know the cost up front, no surprises. Your tiered system makes way more sense for everyone. Stops the clock watching and lets you focus on the work.

kim.jake1mo ago

My last project took 40 hours instead of 30, and the client never questioned it because the price was fixed. That clock watching thing feels overblown to me. Most reasonable people just want the job done well, not a minute by minute breakdown. The bad vibe you mention might depend more on the client you pick than the billing method. I've done hourly for years and it's never been a serious issue if you're clear from the start.

lee8471mo ago

Oh man, I read this article where a freelancer said hourly billing made them feel like a suspect under investigation. They switched to project fees and said the whole relationship changed because the client stopped seeing time as a currency. It really stuck with me.