TL;DR
A freelance developer took on what he thought would be a one-day static HTML job, quoted roughly $1,500, and ended up spending seven weeks onsite due to setup delays and missing assets. He invoiced the firm for the time worked ($18,000); the client recalculated the logged hours to $21,000 and asked him to confirm so accounting could issue a check.
What happened
The contractor was hired urgently by a large company to deliver a single static HTML page with minor animations and embedded videos. He initially estimated 20 hours and quoted about $1,500. Working onsite at a satellite office 25 miles away required device setup and waiting for access, which consumed large blocks of time. Assets arrived late and were incomplete; internal email chains and personnel handoffs further delayed progress. Over roughly seven weeks the contractor remained present, commuting daily, attending company lunches and dealing with stalled communication, while doing the actual build in fits and starts. Once the page was completed and pushed to GitHub, a planned team code review was ineffectual and the work was merged. The contractor then invoiced the company for the weeks he had been on the job at his hourly rate. The manager later returned a recalculation that raised the total to $21,000 and requested confirmation of the adjusted hours so accounting could prepare payment.
Why it matters
- Time-based billing can produce large invoices when administrative delays and onboarding eat into a contractor’s schedule.
- Incomplete or late delivery of required assets from clients can extend a small-scope project substantially.
- Being onsite and available can carry hidden costs (commute, setup time, downtime) that contractors may need to recover.
- Large organizations’ internal communication and review processes can stall delivery and complicate contractor relationships.
Key facts
- Original estimate: 20 hours with a quoted total of about $1,500.
- Client requested onsite work at a satellite office located about 25 miles from the contractor.
- Initial setup on a company MacBook Pro and required access provisioning consumed significant time.
- Assets needed for the page arrived late and were incomplete (designer files in formats the contractor couldn’t open).
- The engagement lasted approximately seven weeks, during which the contractor commuted daily and attended company-provided lunches.
- Completed code was submitted on GitHub; an intended team review did not meaningfully scrutinize the work and the page was merged.
- The contractor invoiced $18,000 for the weeks worked at his original hourly rate.
- The manager recalculated the logged hours and produced a revised total of $21,000, asking the contractor to confirm the hours for accounting.
- The contractor confirmed the adjusted hours; whether the payment was issued is not stated in the source.
- The blog post was originally published May 5, 2019 (per the source article).
What to watch next
- Whether the company actually issues payment following the manager’s recalculation — not confirmed in the source.
- Whether the client disputes any line items after accounting reviews the confirmed hours — not confirmed in the source.
- Updates on the contractor’s next steps or public follow-up about the payment outcome — not confirmed in the source.
Quick glossary
- Contractor: An individual hired to perform specific work or services for a company for a limited period, often paid hourly or per project.
- Static HTML page: A web page composed of fixed HTML, CSS, and optionally JavaScript that does not require server-side rendering or dynamic content generation.
- Invoice: A document requesting payment for goods or services rendered, typically itemizing hours worked, rates, and totals owed.
- GitHub: A platform for hosting and collaborating on source code repositories, frequently used to submit and review code changes.
- Scope creep: The gradual expansion of a project’s requirements or timeline beyond the original agreement, often leading to increased cost or time.
Reader FAQ
What did the contractor originally quote?
He estimated 20 hours and quoted roughly $1,500.
How long did the project actually take?
The engagement stretched to about seven weeks due to delays and onboarding, per the account.
Did the client accept the invoice?
The manager recalculated the hours to a higher total ($21,000) and asked the contractor to confirm so accounting could pay; whether payment occurred is not confirmed in the source.
Was the final work reviewed by the team?
A team review meeting was scheduled but had little substantive discussion of the contractor’s code; the page was reportedly merged after that.
I charged $18,000 for a Static HTML Page … and got away with it. By Ibrahim Diallo Published May 5 2019 ~ 9 minutes read Fund this Blog Listen to…
Sources
- I charged $18k for a Static HTML Page (2019)
- Worker Misclassification as a Potential Unfair Method of …
- – LEGISLATIVE BRANCH APPROPRIATIONS FOR FISCAL …
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