Guide · 4 min read
What to do when a client asks for extra work on site.
A short checklist for the moment a client says, “while you're here, could you also…”
1. Pause before you start
Don't agree on the spot. Say you will confirm the price and the effect on the programme first. Most disputes begin with a yes given in passing.
2. Check that it is really extra
Compare the request with the contract drawings and specification. Work out whether it changes the scope, the price, the programme or all three.
3. Price it from your rate cards
Include labour, plant, materials, subcontractors, overheads and profit. If you cannot price it yet, agree a day-work rate or a provisional sum before starting.
4. Get it in writing before the work starts
A short written variation is enough. Include a description, the reason, the price, the programme effect, and the client's signature with the date. A dated e-signature works as well.
5. Update the programme and orders
Tell the site team, subcontractors and suppliers once the variation is signed, not before.
6. If the client refuses
Don't start unagreed work. Record the request and the refusal with the date and time, carry on with the agreed scope, and tell the client how the refusal affects the programme.
Emergencies
If work is needed to make the site safe or stop damage, do what is necessary. Record it on the day with photos and notes, tell the client as soon as you can, and price and sign it as soon as possible.
Mistakes to avoid
- Agreeing verbally and hoping the paperwork catches up.
- Sending a price with no breakdown.
- Starting before the client has signed.
- Forgetting to tell the office, so the work is never billed.
Related guides
- Variation guideHow to stop extra work going unpriced, unsigned and unbilled. A practical guide for UK builders and remodellers.
- Pricing a variationHow to price extra work for a UK building job: rate cards, the programme effect, overheads and a worked example.
- What is a variationWhat counts as a variation in a UK building contract, the common types, what usually isn't one, and why the paperwork matters.
- Variation or change orderVariation or change order: what the terms mean in UK building contracts, what matters more than the name, and how to record every change.
- Avoiding unpaid extrasFive habits that stop unpaid extras on a building job: site logs, photos, same-day pricing, written confirmation and billing in every application.