Hello! I was recently contacted by a potential client who wants me to build them a simple static website for their small business. I’ve never done this level of freelance work before, and I’m not sure if it’s a good idea to get them to sign a contract or just have a verbal agreement.
I’m leaning towards contract, but I’m not sure how to write one. I can’t afford a lawyer to write one up for me. I’ve found several contract template sites, but they all seem to require some sort of subscription, which I also can’t afford. I’m very clueless when it comes to legal stuff (something that I’m sure won’t be lasting long if I continue doing freelance work).
First of all, you can get free forms for a contract at Legal Zoom. Also, if you have a prepaid legal service (I forget the name), but they are about $25 a month, they will write and review a contract for you for free. They also have generic contracting forms. I would highly recommend not only the terms of payment be in writing, but any time frame and some list of details of the things they want, as well as any fee you have to adjustments and additions to the original list. I hope that is helpful to you.
They have a standard contract that they say is “…vetted by the Freelancers Union and automatically complies with the Freelance Isn’t Free Act.”
DISCLAIMER: I’m not a freelancer and I haven’t used their contracts or invoices personally. I’ve just learned a bit about them and have explored their software platform a bit after they acquired a startup I liked. I always have them in mind in case I decide to start freelancing .
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