The fee conversation needs to address that uncertainty. Start with the work and assumptions, then choose a fee basis both sides can understand.
Separate known work from variable work
Fictional example: an adviser will review a reporting process. Two interviews and a recommendation meeting are straightforward to estimate. The supporting files may be six organised reports or several years of inconsistent records.
Write down the expected work before quoting.
| Work item | Illustrative effort | What could change it? |
|---|---|---|
| Preparation and two interviews | 4 hours | Additional participants or rescheduling |
| Review supplied material | 4–10 hours | Volume, format and completeness |
| Recommendation and meeting | 4 hours | Changed question or additional review round |
| Total | 12–18 hours | Subject to the stated boundaries |
The example uses fictional estimates. Your own quote needs your delivery experience, current capacity and the client's actual materials.
Compare complete offers
At a hypothetical €100 per hour, 12–18 hours gives an estimated fee range of €1,200–€1,800. That calculation does not tell you what fixed fee to charge. A fixed quote also requires a judgement about the defined work, uncertainty and commercial viability.
You could offer a fixed fee after checking a representative sample and defining the material limit. Alternatively, you could offer time-based work with a review checkpoint before an agreed spending limit is reached.
Explain what each arrangement buys. "Fixed fee" needs a stated scope. "Time based" needs a rate, a way to report work and a process for approving further spend. A spending cap also needs an explanation of what happens if the work is incomplete at the cap.
Give the buyer a usable choice
A fictional proposal note might say:
We can confirm a fixed fee after reviewing two representative files and agreeing the full material list. If you prefer to begin before that check, we can work at the stated hourly rate and review progress at eight hours. We would need your agreement before exceeding the agreed spend limit. At that point, we would explain the remaining work and options.
Use this only if it reflects the arrangement you can offer. The checkpoint is a decision, rather than permission to deliver half an unexplained output.
Identify who carries each uncertainty
If you accept a fixed scope at a fixed fee, your estimate may be wrong even when the client supplies everything agreed. Account for that possibility in your pricing and delivery planning.
If the client adds material or changes the question, compare the request with the agreed boundary before proceeding. Your own underestimated effort and a client-requested addition are different situations.
For time-based work, share useful progress information: work completed, time used, questions resolved and what remains. A timesheet alone gives the buyer little basis for deciding whether to continue.
Confirm the fee basis in the proposal
Put the selected basis beside the scope, assumptions, review points and change process. Check tax, payment and acceptance terms through the client's actual purchasing process.
The right arrangement makes the purchase and the remaining uncertainty understandable. It also gives both sides a practical route when the work differs from the initial expectation.