Drone Service Billing Structure

[AirBoudreauX]

I'm about halfway through with a 6 month construction progress shoot. This is the first one of these that I have done. I am shooting and putting together and delivering a video for the city every 2 weeks. My question is regarding billing. I'm invoicing it as 1 job and I'm curious as to the best timeline for invoicing. As ov now I have not invoiced anything to them. I would normally invoice at the end of a job, but Im curious on how it would play if I invoiced them now with a due date of the last date on the service contract? Ill add that I have a clause in the service contract, which they signed, to protect myself that states "Usage not transferred until payment is received". I also specify that "Usage' does not mean copyright. I retain all copyrights on raw and produced works.

There is only going to be one invoice for this job. This is a customer that I would like to make it as easy as possible for, because they already want me for 2 other jobs. Since this was scheduled to be what came out to be 11 separate shoots, and this is a customer that I would like to get in good with, I discounted this job by charging one day rate (8 hrs) and then the extra 3 shoots at my hourly rate. So this invoice is broken down into 3 line items. 1 day rate, 3 hourly rates, and then the total editing costs. The construction site is literally 2 miles from my house so there are no travel expenses for this job.

Again just curious to how you might think that comes across.

Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[MikeA]

I can't imagine they would want to pay it all before the project is done, and it is kind of hard for you to work for 6 months without any payment. Is there any way to invoice half the total payment at the 3 month mark and the balance at the end? That would still be easy for them and you could get paid partially along the way. 6 months without any payment seems extreme even if you keep good records, a lot can happen in that time.

 

[AirBoudreauX]

I can't imagine they would want to pay it all before the project is done,

Agreed

and it is kind of hard for you to work for 6 months without any payment

Also agreed. However, this is a complete side gig for the time being and I dont NEED the money right now. It would be nice, but definitely not needed. That's why I'm posing the question. I don't NEED to do It but if I did, would that be considered bad form or a faux pas of some sort? My instinct is no simply because the terms on the invoice state that payment is due on or before August 31 (the day after the contract is up)

 

[MikeA]

I don't think it would be bad form. Honestly I have seen more problems arise from waiting too long than I have from invoicing too soon. People leave, things get lost in the shuffle, or their company policy says "We only pay if you invoice us within X number of days" and then you have to prove you did this work however many months ago. A partial invoice is definitely not a faux pas or out of line at all.

 

[AirBoudreauX]

I don't think it would be bad form. Honestly I have seen more problems arise from waiting too long than I have from invoicing too soon. People leave, things get lost in the shuffle, or their company policy says "We only pay if you invoice us within X number of days" and then you have to prove you did this work however many months ago. A partial invoice is definitely not a faux pas or out of line at all.

Good points. I appreciate the input man!

Now that I think about it, the PayPal invoicing system does allow for partial payments on 1 invoice. Im going to look into that.

 

[Wavepilot]

Good points. I appreciate the input man!

Now that I think about it, the PayPal invoicing system does allow for partial payments on 1 invoice. Im going to look into that.

I have many ongoing progress report projects with different clients and various payment agreements. Some are invoiced per site visit, some bi-weekly, and some monthly. Ask your client what works best for them. I personally wouldn't get extended too much out of pocket because things can happen and I wouldn't want to risk being left completely empty-handed.

 

[AirBoudreauX]

I have many ongoing progress report projects with different clients and various payment agreements. Some are invoiced per site visit, some bi-weekly, and some monthly. Ask your client what works best for them. I personally wouldn't get extended too much out of pocket because things can happen and I wouldn't want to risk being left completely empty-handed.

Yea thats the good thing about this project. Its 2 miles from my house so there really is no out of pocket expenses. I can stop by and do the shoots on the way to pick my kids up from school/ daycare.

And I did just go ahead and ask them. I offered the partial payment option that PayPal invoicing allows and they said they would just rather go ahead and pay the full amount now. I happily confirmed that would be ok!