The Revision Trap (And Why Most Freelancers Fall Into It)
You deliver the design. The client loves it. Then comes the feedback: "Can we try the logo a bit bigger?" Fine. You do it. "Actually, can we move it to the left?" Sure. "What about a different font?" You're still within scope, you tell yourself. By round seven, you've rebuilt the entire header three times — and you're still on the first deliverable.
Sound familiar? A 2024 survey of freelancers found that revisions were the second-biggest cause of unpaid overtime, right after scope creep. The two often go hand in hand. Clients don't always mean to take advantage. They just don't know where "feedback" ends and "new work" begins. If you haven't drawn that line, you can't blame them for crossing it.
Why Revisions Spiral Out of Control
Four things usually cause revision chaos. Fix these, and you'll cut most of the problem at the source.
1. Unclear Scope From the Start
"Two rounds of revisions" means nothing if you haven't defined what a round is. Does changing one word count? What about swapping two images? Clients will assume the most generous interpretation. You need to spell it out.
2. No Revision Cap in the Contract
If your contract doesn't mention revisions, you've effectively agreed to unlimited. Once you're mid-project, renegotiating feels awkward. Get it in writing before you start.
3. Fear of Saying No
"It's just one more small change" — the freelancer's kryptonite. You worry that pushing back will make you seem difficult. So you say yes. Then yes again. The client learns that "one more" has no limit.
4. No Paper Trail
When revision requests live in Slack threads and scattered emails, you've got no proof of how many rounds you've actually done. Six months later, when the client insists they only asked for two changes, you're digging through old messages. Document everything.
How to Build a Revision Policy That Actually Works
A solid revision policy has four parts. Miss one, and the whole thing falls apart.
Number of Rounds
Two rounds is the industry standard for most creative work. One round for structural feedback, one for polish. Some freelancers offer three for larger projects. More than that, and you're either undercharging or inviting abuse. Pick a number and stick to it.
What Counts as a Revision
A revision is feedback on work you've already delivered. It's not a new request. "Change the blue to green" = revision. "Add a new section about our team" = new scope. The distinction matters. Spell it out in your contract: revisions are changes to existing deliverables; anything that adds or significantly alters the agreed scope is additional work.
Timeline for Feedback
Open-ended feedback windows kill projects. Set a deadline: "Client will provide consolidated feedback within 5 business days of each deliverable. Delays will shift the project timeline." Without this, you'll be waiting on feedback while the client expects you to be available for the next phase.
Cost of Additional Rounds
What happens when they blow through the included rounds? State it clearly: "Additional revision rounds beyond the two included will be billed at £X per hour" or "at £X per round." No ambiguity. When the client asks for round four, you're not inventing a policy — you're enforcing one they agreed to.
Pro tip
Use ClearTimeline's Scope Tracker to log your original scope and every revision request. When a client asks for "one more small change," you can show them exactly how many rounds you've already completed — with timestamps. No more "I don't remember asking for that."
The Revision Clause: Exact Language for Your Contract
Here's contract language you can drop straight into your agreement. Adjust the numbers to fit your rates.
Revisions. The project fee includes two (2) rounds of revisions per deliverable. A "revision" is defined as feedback that modifies existing work without adding new scope. Requests that add new deliverables, sections, or significant new requirements are outside the included revisions and will be quoted separately. Additional revision rounds beyond the two included will be billed at [£X per hour / £X per round]. Client agrees to provide consolidated feedback within [5] business days of each deliverable. Delays in feedback may shift the project timeline.
That's it. Clear, enforceable, and it gives you something to point to when the "just one more" requests start. If the client pushes back on signing this, that's useful information. Professional clients expect it.
Handling "Just One More Small Change"
The policy is in place. The contract is signed. And still, the request comes: "This is perfect, but could we just…" Here's how to respond.
When You've Used Your Rounds
"We've completed our two revision rounds on this deliverable, and I'm glad we got it to a place you're happy with. Any further changes would fall outside the agreed scope — I'd be happy to quote for an additional round if you'd like to make more tweaks." Polite. Firm. No room for negotiation unless they're willing to pay.
When It's New Scope, Not a Revision
"That would be a great addition — it's outside what we originally scoped, so I'll put together a quick quote for you. Should I send that over?" You're not refusing. You're redirecting. New work gets a new price.
When They're Testing the Boundary
Some clients will keep pushing to see where you'll bend. Hold the line. "I want to make sure we're both clear — we've done [X] rounds on this, and our agreement was for [Y]. I'm happy to continue, but I'll need to invoice for the additional work." If they respect that, you've got a good client. If they get defensive, you've learned something early.
The Copywriter Who Did 12 Rounds
A freelance copywriter we know delivered a 2,000-word blog post with two rounds included. The client loved it. Then asked for "a few word tweaks." Then "can we try a different angle on paragraph 3?" By the time she invoiced for the extra work, she'd done 12 rounds — and the client claimed they'd only asked for "minor edits." She had no log of the requests. She ate the cost.
A simple revision log — date, request, round number — would have given her the evidence she needed. Now she uses one for every project.
Tracking Revisions: Your Safety Net
When a client disputes an invoice or claims they never asked for something, your revision log is your evidence. It doesn't need to be fancy. Date, description of the request, which round it falls under. That's enough to shut down most arguments.
Better yet, get formal sign-off before each revision round. Send the deliverable, get approval that it's ready for revisions, then make the changes. When you send the revised version, get approval again. Now you've got a clear record: they approved X, you revised based on their feedback, they approved Y. ClearTimeline's Approval Requests create timestamped, immutable records of every sign-off — so there's no "I never approved that" later.
Your Proof Timeline can sit alongside this. Log each revision round as an entry: what was requested, when, and what you delivered. If a dispute ever reaches a mediator or small claims court, you've got a chronological record that neither party can alter.
Key Takeaways
- Cap revisions at two rounds (or three for large projects) and define exactly what counts as a revision vs. new scope
- Put your revision policy in the contract before you start — include the number of rounds, the cost of additional rounds, and feedback deadlines
- When clients ask for "one more" beyond the cap, point to the contract and offer to quote for additional work
- Log every revision request with the date and round number — when disputes happen, your records are your proof
- Get formal approval before and after each revision round so there's no ambiguity about what was agreed
- Distinguish between revisions (changes to existing work) and new scope (additions) — only the former is included in your revision rounds
Take Control of Revisions Starting Today
You don't need to overhaul every existing client relationship. Start with the next project. Add the revision clause. Set the cap. Log the requests. When "just one more" comes in, you'll have a policy to point to and a record to back it up.
Revisions don't have to be a profit drain. They just need boundaries — and a system that makes those boundaries visible to everyone.
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