Start with the right question
Changes can be legitimate and still poorly documented. A project record should distinguish an approved extra from a correction, a substitution, or work whose authorization is disputed. That distinction is more useful than labeling every increase an overcharge.
Work through the checks
Keep the original scope
Preserve the accepted agreement, specifications, and exclusions. Identify the baseline against which the change is measured. A later revised document should not silently replace the original version.
Describe the trigger
Record why the change was proposed, such as a hidden condition, requested upgrade, or unavailable material. Keep photographs or professional findings where relevant. Avoid converting a contractor's explanation into an independently verified fact.
Trace approval
Save the proposed price, timing effect, and acceptance or objection. Identify who communicated the decision and their role. A conversation about an option is not necessarily approval to proceed.
Reconcile the invoice
Match each changed item to the corresponding charge and any credit for removed work. Record duplicate or unexplained lines. Separate an arithmetic discrepancy from a disagreement about whether the work was authorized.
A record you can use
- Original scope reference
- Proposed change and reason
- Price and schedule effect
- Approval or dispute record
- Invoice adjustment
Keep this record locally. Use document references rather than publishing account numbers or other people's personal details. An empty field means the information is still missing; it should not be filled with an AI guess.
Worked example
A fictional homeowner selects a different countertop after an initial quote. The change adds $400 but removes a $150 item from the original scope. The comparison records a $250 net change and checks whether the final invoice includes the credit rather than treating the full $400 as unexplained.
This example is fictional and illustrates the method, not a real case result.
Limits and next steps
Contract rules and requirements for written changes vary. This page does not determine whether an oral approval binds anyone or whether payment may be withheld. Use the actual agreement for legal review.
Send a line-specific question with the supporting change record. Preserve the response and seek qualified help before making decisions that could affect project completion or legal rights.