Ditching Hourly Ben Kettle - Risk-Based Pricing Options
Feb 3, 2026
Ben Kettle, a UK town planner focused on rural projects, explains his switch from hourly billing to fixed-fee and risk-based pricing. He outlines a three-tier pricing approach with shared-risk and success-fee options. Short stories cover client reactions, implementation, and how outcome-focused fees changed his workflow and client relationships.
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Hourly Estimates Blew Up Client Trust
- Ben describes moving from public-sector planning to a private consultancy where hourly estimates frequently doubled or tripled during projects.
- That unpredictability led to disgruntled clients and write-offs, motivating his move away from hourly billing.
Hourly Billing Warps Team Incentives
- Hourly billing creates perverse incentives that harm team behavior and client service.
- Tracking billable time provoked internal stress, poor communication, and unnecessary management overhead.
Leaving To Escape Scaling-by-Headcount
- Ben left his firm after realizing hourly models capped his earnings and required headcount to scale revenue.
- He also wanted to return to client work and avoid growing into management he disliked.
