How to build a store for merchant already has Shopify account as freelancer?

[daomapsieucap]

As a freelancer, I wonder how to build a store for my clients which they already have existing store on Shopify? I don't think building a new theme on their account makes sense if they won't pay for the work and kick me out of the existing store after I finished the work.

[daomapsieucap]

Thanks for the suggestion.

The main reason I'm confused here because I can create and dev the new layout within the customer account. The main reason I ask because if I finished 90% of the work and the client remove my account on their Shopify account and won't pay for the work. In that case, I will lost everything including the time I spent for this task.

For example I have a customer want to build a new theme for an existing store, Shopify only have option to recommend creating a new dev store for client: https://help.shopify.com/en/partners/building-stores-for-merchants but there isn't any option for client that have existing store.