I always try to avoid hourly billing. At a minimum I try to bill per day or week, but my preferred is billing by job. I estimate how many hours something will take and then price it accordingly.
Usually clients are happier to have that because they know the cost up front, and I am happier because I don't have to track hours.
The most important part of billing by project is that requirements are rock solid before you start (and the hours you spend on that should be rolled up into the total project cost after you make the requirements). And make sure your contract specifies what happens when there is scope creep (new contract? daily rate for changes?).
And lastly make sure your contract has milestone payments if it's a long contract. You don't want to work for four months and then have to wait to get paid or argue about completion. Have a milestone that might hit every month or so and get 20% of the payment, so there is a larger bulk payment at the end for completion but also some payments on the way.
Usually clients are happier to have that because they know the cost up front, and I am happier because I don't have to track hours.
The most important part of billing by project is that requirements are rock solid before you start (and the hours you spend on that should be rolled up into the total project cost after you make the requirements). And make sure your contract specifies what happens when there is scope creep (new contract? daily rate for changes?).
And lastly make sure your contract has milestone payments if it's a long contract. You don't want to work for four months and then have to wait to get paid or argue about completion. Have a milestone that might hit every month or so and get 20% of the payment, so there is a larger bulk payment at the end for completion but also some payments on the way.