Change orders: how to get paid for the extra work

The most expensive sentence in the trades

"While you're here, could you also…" — you say yes, you do the work, and it never reaches an invoice. Across a year, unbilled extras quietly cost most tradespeople several thousand dollars. Not because clients refuse to pay, but because nobody wrote it down.

What a change order actually is

A change order is a short written amendment to the accepted estimate. It records three things:

1. What changed — the added (or removed) work, in one plain sentence.
2. What it costs — the price delta, and any impact on the schedule.
3. Who agreed — client approval, dated.

That's it. It is not a new contract, and it doesn't have to be long. A message thread with a clear "yes" and a stated price is far stronger than a handshake.

The 20-second script that works on site

Don't argue price in the moment — quote it and let the client decide:

"I can absolutely do that. It's about 45 minutes plus the valve, so roughly $130 on top. Want me to add it? I'll send it as a quick change so it's on the invoice."

Three things happen: you sound organized, the client keeps control, and the number exists before the work does. Silence about price is what creates the awkward conversation later.

The rules that prevent disputes

• Never start extra work before the price is acknowledged. One line of written confirmation is enough.
• Bundle nothing. A change order that says "extras: $400" invites a fight. Itemize.
• Include schedule impact if it pushes the finish date — that's the surprise clients hate most.
• Re-issue the total. Show the new grand total, not just the delta, so there's no shock at invoicing.
• Small favors: say they're free. If you genuinely gift a 5-minute fix, write "no charge" on the document. Goodwill you don't document is goodwill nobody remembers.

When the client says no

Fine — that's the system working. Note it ("client declined the valve replacement, existing valve left in place") and move on. That single line protects you if the old part fails in three months.

Make it a one-minute habit

The reason change orders don't get written is friction: nobody opens a laptop on a job site. With Pro Speak Artisan you dictate the addition on the spot — "add a quarter-turn valve, 45 minutes labor" — it becomes a priced line on the estimate, and the client re-signs from their phone. See also how to price a job you've never done and 7 estimating mistakes that kill margin.