Build a quote with margin, risk buffer, fees, and revisions baked in from the start.
Most underpricing in project work isn't because the headline rate is too low. It's because the quote forgot revisions, didn't add a risk buffer, ignored payment processor fees, and used a margin that left no room to absorb the inevitable scope creep.
The Project Quote Calculator builds a quote from the ground up. Tell it the hours, your internal hourly cost, a revision allowance, external costs (subcontractors, licences), the margin you want, your risk buffer percentage, and the payment fees you'll absorb. It outputs three prices: a minimum (the floor), a safe price (what to quote), and a premium (the anchor).
Base cost = hours × hourly rate + revisions + external costs. Total cost = base cost × (1 + risk buffer). Minimum price = total cost ÷ (1 − margin). Safe price = (total cost + fees) ÷ (1 − margin − fee %). Premium price = safe price × 1.25.
Enter the estimated hours and your internal hourly cost
Add a revision allowance — the hours you expect to spend on feedback you can't charge for
Add external costs (subcontractors, licences, materials)
Set your desired margin and a risk buffer for the unknowns
Quote the safe price, hold the line at the minimum, anchor with the premium
A well-defined project with a clear brief: 5–10%. A new type of work for you: 15–20%. A novel client with a vague brief: 25–30%. The buffer is the price of the unknowns; under-buying it is a leading cause of project losses.
No — pick the safe price as your quote. The premium is internal anchoring (it makes the safe price feel reasonable). The minimum is your hard floor in negotiation.
The tool calculates a deposit amount based on the percentage you set (typical: 30–50%). A deposit before work starts is non-negotiable for new clients and recommended for everyone — it covers the no-show risk and improves cash flow.
It's included in Founding Lifetime Access (€99 one-time).
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