Pro tip: I added a simple 'scope creep' clause to my contracts and it saved me from a $3,000 headache last month.

For years, my contracts just listed the job and the price. A kitchen floor install in Tacoma would be a set number, and any extra work was a handshake deal. That changed after a job six months ago where the client kept asking for 'tiny' extras, like extending the flooring into a closet and adding a transition strip to the pantry. It ate up a whole extra day of my time and materials, but I felt awkward charging for it. Last month, I started using a new template that has a specific section titled 'Additional Work.' It says any work outside the original written description requires a written change order with a new price and timeline, signed by both of us. On my very next job, the client asked to add a heated floor system after I'd already started. Because of the clause, I could pause, write up a clear addendum for the extra cost and two-day delay, and get it signed. It kept everything clean and professional. Has anyone else found a specific phrase that works well to define the original job scope without sounding too rigid?

3 comments

3 Comments

tessalane25d ago

My "project creep" line has saved me too.

kevin_lane25d ago

Huh, I actually have the opposite problem. If I draw a hard line too early, I end up killing good ideas before they have a chance to grow. I've found letting things creep a little at the start often leads to a much better final result.

andrew_shah25d ago

My uncle rebuilt a '78 Ford pickup over three years, and his rule was "no new parts until the old ones are completely shot." He ended up with a totally custom interior because the original seats fell apart and he got creative. That truck was way cooler than if he'd just stuck to the original plan from day one. Sometimes the best stuff comes from the project changing shape as you go. Letting it creep a bit can feel like you're losing control, but it's often just making room for a better idea to show up.