Just a friendly word of advice from a former contractor: if you ever feel the need to put a kill-switch in a site you're developing, it's time to stop, cut your losses, and find a new client to work for. It just isn't worth it. Send them a bill for the work completed so far if you want, but don't expect it to get paid and don't worry about it when it doesn't.
As for how to do that and still make a living: double your rates and require 50% up front. That way you've gotten "full" payment by your current rates if the work goes sour, and a nice bonus when it doesn't.
In our line of work, there are a lot of good clients out there. Life's too short to deal with the bad ones.
As for how to do that and still make a living: double your rates and require 50% up front. That way you've gotten "full" payment by your current rates if the work goes sour, and a nice bonus when it doesn't.
In our line of work, there are a lot of good clients out there. Life's too short to deal with the bad ones.