BriefRate field guide / Project buffer
How to calculate a project buffer without hiding the math
A buffer is not a random markup. It is a visible allowance for uncertainty that remains after the work has been scoped as carefully as practical.
Build the labour estimate first
Break the work into phases, estimate the hours for each phase, then multiply total hours by the rate you use for project pricing. Keep third-party expenses separate so they do not become disguised labour.
Name the uncertainty
List the assumptions most likely to move: unfamiliar technology, stakeholder count, source-material quality, migration complexity, approval speed, or integration access. If the uncertainty is too large to bound, sell discovery first instead of pretending a percentage solves it.
Choose a deliberate percentage
Use a smaller allowance for repeated, well-understood work and a larger one for genuinely variable work. Record why you chose it. The percentage is a judgment input, not an industry law.
Calculate it visibly
Round only after the calculation. If you choose a cleaner commercial price, keep the internal calculation so you can compare estimate to actual effort later.
Do not let the buffer replace boundaries
A buffer covers reasonable variation inside the agreed work. It does not make new deliverables, unlimited feedback, or a changed direction free. Keep the inclusions, exclusions, revision policy, and change process beside the price.
Make it repeatable
Put the price and the boundaries in one place.
BriefRate turns the estimate into a clear, copyable scope summary. It is a private offline tool, available once for US$9.
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