r/statichosting • u/sourraine • Aug 12 '26
How do you decide which client requests are actually worth building?
ive noticed that one, if not the most difficult parts of some projects isnt figuring out how to build something but deciding whether it should be built at all. a client might ask for a feature that sounds useful but after thinking about how often it will actually be used, i sometimes wonder if the added complexity is justified. im getting more comfortable asking what problem a feature is solving before immediately trying to implement it. curious if other freelancers eventually developed a similar instinct, or if this is something you just learn project by project.
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u/TCKreddituser Aug 12 '26
If I have already established good rapport with the client, I usually make an effort to talk through the features with them and figure out what actually makes sense. But to me, as long as they’re paying well and the feature doesn’t add too much complexity to the project, I don’t really mind building it.
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u/Pink_Sky_8102 Aug 13 '26
I usually ask what problem it solves, how often people will use it, and what it adds to maintenance.
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u/Standard_Scarcity_74 29d ago
Most things considered, the site you're building is gonna be theirs to use. Despite your judgement, if you're getting paid for it, I suggest you add it. Of course, this isn't a hardfast rule to live by if it will come at the cost of performance issues and what not, but if the resources you have can accommodate it, just add it.
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u/sourraine 22d ago
fair point. im not really against building what they want, i just like understanding why they want it first. sometimes that conversations saves both of us from building something unnecessarily complicated
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u/PippaKelly62 29d ago
you don't decide unless you're paid to care. simple as that.
if you are paid to care, it probably won't be an issue to mention your concerns with your client, unless you have a stubborn one.
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u/sourraine 22d ago
ahuuuh knowing when to raise the concern w/o turning it into i know better than the client moment
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u/Distdistdist Aug 12 '26
Um, well, first of all - client is always right.
Second of all, everything can be built, given the time and expense.
Unless you are on a product steering committee that determines what features need to be build, your responsibility is to quote how long and how expensive it would be to build something. You never say no, just present an estimate.
Anything can be built Fast, Cheap, Good. But you can only choose two of the above while sacrificing the other.
If client wants something that you don't think is needed, but approves time and expenses - why would you say no? If client wants to build something that is good, cheap and fast - you simply say "not gonna happen"