Client Wants Free Changes: How to Handle It Without Losing the Relationship
Define revision limits before the project starts—unlimited revisions means unlimited free work
When “One More Version” Becomes $21,600 of Free Work
The project’s done. You delivered exactly what was in the contract. Then the email comes: “Can we adjust this? And change that? And try one more version?”
You say yes because you want to be helpful. Because maintaining the relationship matters. Because saying no feels awkward and inflexible.
But this is the fourth round of revisions. None of these changes were in the original scope. You’re working for free, but it feels impossible to say “that’ll cost extra” without seeming difficult or money-hungry.
So you do the work. Again. And then they ask for more changes. And the cycle continues until you resent the client and the project that was supposed to be finished weeks ago.
This is Niall’s reality. He runs a branding agency at $108K/year. He tracked his last 6 projects and found they averaged 40% over scope due to unlimited revisions—none of which he got paid for. That’s approximately 24 extra hours per project at his rate of $150/hour = $3,600 in free work per project.
Six projects per year = $21,600/year in unpaid revision work. That’s 20% of his revenue he’s giving away.
But here’s what he didn’t realize: this wasn’t about being flexible. It was about having no boundaries.
What You Think Is Wrong vs What’s Actually Wrong
What you think: You need to be flexible to maintain good client relationships and stay competitive.
What’s actually wrong: You have no revision limits in your contract AND no trained response when extra requests come in.
Here’s the mechanism that’s costing you: When your contract says “2 rounds of revisions included” (or worse, says nothing at all), clients have zero framework for what’s reasonable. They don’t know where the line is, so they keep asking.
You think you’re being accommodating. They think they’re being reasonable. Nobody’s wrong—the structure is wrong.
Compare this to any service with clear limits:
Your gym membership: 24/7 access, but you can’t bring 10 friends
Your phone plan: unlimited data, but video is throttled after 50GB
Your lawyer: consultation included, but calls are billed separately
Limits aren’t hostile. They’re professional. They define the relationship.
When Niall analyzed his contracts, he found he’d written “revisions as needed” in most of them. He thought this sounded client-friendly. What it actually meant was “I’ll work for free until you stop asking.”
His clients weren’t exploiting him. They were responding to the structure he created.
Here’s what happened with one project:
Round 1: Contract revisions (expected)
Round 2: Contract revisions (expected)
Round 3: “Can we try the color slightly different?” (15 hours)
Round 4: “The team wants to see another direction” (12 hours)
Round 5: “Our CEO just saw it and has feedback” (8 hours)
Total uncompensated work: 35 hours = $5,250 at his rate.
The client wasn’t being unreasonable by their standards. Niall had never told them the standards had changed.
The Reframe That Changes Everything
Here’s the reframe: You’re not being flexible—you’re working for free. Flexibility without limits is exploitation.
The word “flexible” sounds positive. But in a business context, unlimited flexibility is just unpaid labor with good branding.
Real flexibility looks like this: “Happy to accommodate changes—revisions beyond our included rounds are $150/hour. Would you like me to send an estimate?”
That’s flexibility with boundaries. The client can still get what they want. You just get paid for delivering it.
When Niall finally implemented revision limits, something unexpected happened: clients didn’t push back. They just became more thoughtful about their revision requests.
When revisions were “free,” they asked for everything they could think of. When revisions had a clear cost, they consolidated feedback, involved stakeholders earlier, and made decisions faster.
Boundaries didn’t damage the relationship. They improved it by creating clarity.
Do This Today (The Immediate Fix)
Today, you’re going to define your revision policy and calculate what unlimited revisions are costing you.
Step 1: Review Your Current Contract (10 minutes)
Pull your standard contract template. Look for the revision clause. What does it say?
Common problems:
“Revisions as needed”
“Reasonable revisions included”
“Unlimited revisions until client satisfaction”
Nothing at all about revisions
If your contract has any of these (or no mention of revisions), you have no protection. Clients can—and will—request unlimited changes.
Step 2: Calculate Hours Lost to Revisions (15 minutes)
Look at your last 5 completed projects. For each one:
How many revision rounds were in the contract?
How many revision rounds actually happened?
How many hours did you spend on revisions beyond scope?
Add it up. Multiply by your hourly rate.
For Niall, across 6 projects:
Total out-of-scope revision hours: 144 hours
Hourly rate: $150
Lost revenue: $21,600/year
That’s real money. That’s a junior team member. That’s financial runway. You’re giving it away.
Step 3: Define Your Revision Policy (10 minutes)
Create a clear, specific revision structure:
Standard Policy:
2 rounds of revisions included in project price
Each round includes consolidated feedback from the client team
Additional revision rounds available at $[your hourly rate]/hour
Rush revisions (under 48-hour turnaround): 50% premium
Write this down. This becomes your new standard.
Notice what this does:
Sets clear expectations upfront
Allows for normal revision needs (2 rounds cover 90% of projects)
Creates a profitable path to say “yes” to extra requests
Makes rushed requests expensive (as they should be)
The 7-Day Protocol (Complete Solution)
The immediate fix defines your policy. This protocol implements it across all future projects.
Day 1: Audit All Recent Projects
Create a spreadsheet tracking revision scope vs. actuals:
| Project | Contract Revisions | Actual Revisions | Extra Hours | Lost Revenue |
Calculate totals:
Total hours spent on out-of-scope revisions
Total revenue lost
Average extra hours per project
This number is your motivation. This is what you’re recovering.
Day 2: Calculate True Cost
Your revision problem has three costs:
Cost 1: Direct Revenue Loss. Extra hours × hourly rate
For Niall: 144 hours × $150 = $21,600/year
Cost 2: Timeline Creep. When projects take 40% longer due to unlimited revisions, you can’t take as many projects.
Niall could have completed 2 more projects with the time spent on free revisions = $36,000 in opportunity cost.
Cost 3: Scope Fatigue Endless revisions burn you out. You lose enthusiasm for the work. Quality suffers. This has an intangible but real cost to your business reputation.
Total cost: $21,600 + $36,000 + fatigue = $57,600+ per year
Day 3: Define Your New Revision Policy
Make it crystal clear:
INCLUDED IN PROJECT PRICE:
2 rounds of revisions
Each round must include consolidated feedback from all stakeholders
Revisions must be submitted within 7 days of the deliverable
Changes must be within the original scope and creative direction
NOT INCLUDED (billed separately):
Round 3+ revisions: $150/hour
Changes to approved creative direction
New stakeholder feedback after round 2
Rush turnaround (under 48 hours): 50% premium
Day 4: Create Response Templates
When clients request extra revisions, you need a trained response that’s professional and firm.
Template 1: Extra Round of Revisions
“Happy to accommodate those changes! We’ve completed the 2 revision rounds included in our agreement. Additional rounds are $150/hour. Based on the scope of changes you’ve outlined, I estimate this will take 8 hours ($1,200). Would you like me to proceed, or would you prefer to prioritize the most critical changes?”
Template 2: Scope Change Disguised as Revision
“I want to make sure I understand—are we making refinements within the current direction, or are we exploring a new direction? If it’s a new direction, I’d recommend treating this as a separate project phase with its own budget. Let me know which path works better for you.”
Template 3: New Stakeholder Feedback
“I understand [new stakeholder] has feedback. Since we’ve completed our revision rounds, I can incorporate their feedback as an additional round at $150/hour. Alternatively, we can schedule a quick call with all stakeholders to align before implementation to minimize revision cycles. Which would you prefer?”
Notice you’re not saying no. You’re saying “yes, and here’s what that costs” or offering alternatives.
Day 5: Update Contract Template
Add explicit revision language to your contract:
REVISIONS AND CHANGES
This project includes 2 rounds of revisions at no additional cost. Each revision round must include consolidated feedback from all stakeholders and must be submitted within 7 days of receiving deliverables.
Additional revision rounds are available at $150/hour, billed separately. Changes that alter the approved creative direction or scope may require a new project phase.
Rush revisions (turnaround under 48 hours) are subject to a 50% premium.
Day 6: Communicate New Policy to Current Clients
For ongoing clients, send a professional update:
“Hi [Name],
Quick update on our revision process to ensure we’re delivering efficiently for all clients.
Moving forward, projects include 2 rounds of revisions. Additional rounds are available at $150/hour, which gives us the flexibility to accommodate your needs while maintaining our project timeline.
This applies to new projects starting after [date]. Current projects will continue under existing terms.
Looking forward to great work together!”
Don’t apologize. You’re not doing anything wrong. You’re implementing professional standards.
Day 7: Use New Policy on First Request
The next time a client requests revisions beyond scope, use your template response.
Most clients will say “yes, proceed” or “let’s prioritize the critical changes.”
Some will say, “I thought revisions were unlimited.” Your response: “We include 2 revision rounds to ensure quality. For additional rounds, we charge our standard hourly rate. Would you like me to proceed?”
Hold firm. You’ve done the math. Unlimited revisions cost you $57,600+/year. A few awkward conversations are worth that.
Niall’s Results After 60 Days:
After implementing revision limits:
Out-of-scope revision requests dropped 68% (clients became more thoughtful)
Billed an additional $8,400 for extra revision rounds that clients chose to pursue
Completed 1 additional project with freed time = $18,000
Project timelines are more predictable
Total impact: $26,400 recovered in 60 days.
Same clients. Different structure. Completely different outcomes.
Go Deeper: The Complete Framework
This solves the immediate problem—clients requesting unlimited free changes.
But if you want the complete system for raising your rates, increasing your value, and communicating pricing changes without losing clients:
Price Increase Protocol shows you exactly how to raise rates strategically, grandfather existing clients, position the increase professionally, and handle every objection. You’ll learn the psychology of pricing, when to raise rates, and how to make it feel like an upgrade rather than a penalty.
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