"While you're here…": a change-order rule for handypersons and home-service contractors

Every contractor knows the sentence: "While you're here, could you also…?" Said nicely, it's a bigger job. Left unwritten, it's free work.

Here's a simple rule that keeps the relationship friendly and the margin intact.

1. Say yes to the work, not to the price

"Happy to — let me quote that add-on and send it over before I start." You haven't refused anything, and you've moved the conversation to paper.

2. Use a one-paragraph change order

Write down four things: what's being added, the price, how much it moves the finish date, and a line for the client to reply "approved." A text or email reply counts, as long as it's in writing.

3. Separate "included" from "extra" up front

In the original scope, list what's included and add one sentence: "Anything not listed is quoted separately as a change order." Clients rarely argue with a rule they read on day one.

4. Get paid for the change before the next phase starts

Add-ons billed at the end are the ones that get disputed. Bill them when approved, or fold them into the next milestone invoice.

5. Keep the templates ready

I keep the change-order wording, scope checklist, and late-payment language in one kit so I'm not rewriting it on a tailgate. The contractor version is here if useful: Client Contract & Scope Kit for Home-Service Contractors ($19). There's also a free starter kit at opspack.vercel.app/free.

General information, not legal advice.