Simple contract template saved me $500 in lawyer fees

Had a client try to back out of a $2,000 job last month claiming we never agreed to the timeline. I pulled out a one-page scope of work template I found online, with date and signatures, and they folded immediately. Anybody else use a simple checklist instead of a full legal contract for smaller jobs?

2 comments

2 Comments

jana_hart1818h ago

Switched to a simple scope of work sheet after getting burned on a $1,200 logo project. The client kept adding revisions and claimed we never set a limit. Now my one-pager has boxes for number of revisions, deadline, and payment schedule. It's literally just bullet points and a signature line, not fancy at all. Takes me 5 minutes to fill out and has saved me from at least 3 disputes this year alone. Way better than guessing or trusting a handshake.

miles_roberts15h ago

Funny you mention that. My buddy Jeff runs a small handyman side gig and used to just do handshake deals. A few months ago he painted a lady's living room for like $800. She paid half up front, he did the work, and then she started claiming the color was wrong even though she picked it herself. He didn't have anything in writing and ended up doing a second coat for free just to keep from getting a bad review online. He finally printed out a simple one page checklist with a signature spot after that. He told me it felt silly at first but now he uses it for every job over $100 and says it's the best thing he ever did. The formality of a signature alone seems to make people act more honest in my experience.