TradeoffTrack guide

Client Wants More Work on a Retainer? Calculate the Recurring Cost

Short answer: A recurring “quick favor” is not a one-time request. Estimate the monthly hours and costs, multiply the impact across a year, and decide whether the retainer should change.

Start with the original agreement

Review the proposal, SOW, contract, package description, deliverables, revision limits, meeting limits, deadlines, and anything explicitly promised.

Define the new request

Write down exactly what the client wants. Separate a clarification of an existing deliverable from a new deliverable, new responsibility, additional revision, new meeting, or deadline change.

Calculate the incremental cost

Impact	What to consider
Labor	Additional hours at a realistic target rate.
Direct costs	Tools, contractors, production, travel, or other incremental expenses.
Opportunity cost	Paid work you may have to postpone or turn down.
Recurring impact	Monthly and annual cost if the request continues.

Choose among four responses

Charge

Price additional work when the request adds meaningful work outside the original commercial agreement.

Trade

Replace something already included rather than expanding total scope.

Absorb

Choose goodwill deliberately when the cost is small and the relationship benefit matters.

Decline

Say no when the request doesn't fit the engagement or the economics don't work.

Use TradeoffTrack to run the numbers

TradeoffTrack compares the original deal with the new request and shows the commercial impact before you decide what to say.

Get TradeoffTrack — $19