Specs being more or less fixed is fairly standard for any creative industry. Otherwise you end up doing many multiples of the work you originally signed on for

Specs being more or less fixed is fairly standard for any creative industry. Otherwise you end up doing many multiples of the work you originally signed on for for people who are continually changing their mind or having one extra little thing. You wouldn't say to a builder who came to your house to fix the roof "Oh, and while you're up there, the chimney needs doing." And not expect to pay for it. How you handle that varies, I don't work on a fixed fee - I give estimates but it costs what it costs, so in many ways it's easier for me. Still, I give people three goes to change their minds about the graphical assets and placement of interface elements, within the specs we've worked out of course - and then if they want to change it we work something new out or we go ahead with one of the prototypes they like; I'm not going to be messed around by someone who can't make up their mind, there are other clients. The way I look at it my initial contract is to make up to three rough versions of the thing for them - and if we're working well together we take it from there, or if we're not we walk away from the thing. # Other points - Hired someone who may have had flawed English skills, (from reading the back and forth) Paid $800 and expected top notch service. Unclear milestones. Hired someone in a dramatically different time zone (always a bit of a pain.)