What is a change order in construction?

A change order is a written agreement to modify the original scope, price, or timeline of a job — for example adding work the client requested or addressing a condition discovered once work began. It documents what is changing and the new cost so both sides agree before the extra work is done.

How do you handle a change order with a client?

Stop before doing the extra work, document exactly what is changing and why, price it clearly at your normal rates, and get the client's written approval — even a text or email — before proceeding. Doing the work first and trying to bill for it later is the main cause of payment disputes.

Should I charge for small extra work requests?

Yes. Individually a "while you're here" request feels too small to bill, but across a year these add up to days of unpaid labour and materials. Pricing every scope change, however small, with quick written approval keeps you from giving away margin and sets a professional expectation with the client.

How to Handle Change Orders

What a change order is and why it matters

A change order is a documented agreement that the original scope of work has changed — in price, in what is included, or in the timeline. The client found more they wanted done, or you opened a wall and the job is bigger than anyone could see.

Scope creep is one of the biggest silent margin killers in the trade. The client asks for "just one more outlet while you're here," you say yes because it is small and you want to be helpful, and you do it for free. One outlet is nothing. But across a year of "just one mores," you have given away days of unbilled labour and materials.

A change order is simply the discipline of treating a change in scope as a change in price — every time, in writing. It is not about being rigid; it is about not working for free.

The right way to handle one

The order of operations is what protects you. Do these in sequence.

Stop before you do the work. The moment the scope changes, pause. The leverage to price a change is before you have done it, not after.
Document what's changing. Write down exactly what is being added or altered and why — "client requested two additional outlets in the garage" or "existing wiring found non-compliant, requires replacement."
Price it clearly. Materials plus labour for the change, at your normal rates. Do not discount it because it feels like part of the same job.
Get written approval first. A text or email confirming the client agrees to the added cost is enough. Then do the work.

The rule that saves the most money and the most relationships: never do the extra work and bill for it later. A surprise on the final invoice feels to the client like being charged for something they did not agree to, and that is where disputes start. Approval first turns the same charge into something they expected.

Keeping it professional and fast

The reason contractors skip change orders is the same reason they invoice late — doing the paperwork in the moment feels like friction, so they wing it and lose money. It does not have to be heavy. A clear written scope on the original estimate or quote makes it obvious when something falls outside it, and a quick priced add-on the client approves by text is a perfectly valid change order.

Because Fieldpaid builds the original quote from your QuickBooks item list, adding a priced line for the change and re-sending for approval takes seconds — and the final invoice reflects what was actually agreed, with no awkward surprises. (Note: Fieldpaid handles this through fast re-quoting rather than a separate change-order module.)

How to Handle Change Orders Without Losing Money or the Client