It happens on almost every job—you quote a specific scope of work, show up, and the homeowner asks for a "quick favor" that adds 20 minutes to your day. How do you guys politely pivot them into a paid add-on without killing the customer experience?
Of course I can take care of that, we normally charge ($,00) is that ok with you?
My favorite customers are the ones who trust me and trust the process.
With custom work, the original scope matters. If someone asks, “While you’re here, can you just…” I do not make it awkward, but I also do not automatically absorb the extra work. I explain that I can probably handle it, but since it was not included in the original quote, I need to price it as an add-on before moving forward.
Most customers understand that once it is explained.
The same goes for changes and progress updates. I am always happy to keep a customer informed, but frequent changes or check-ins can interrupt the workflow and gradually turn the original vision into something closer to designing by committee. When that level of involvement is known ahead of time, it should probably be reflected in the quote.
I try to prevent most of this by including clear details and expectations in the original quote, but you cannot anticipate every request before the work begins. A clear quote and contract give everyone something to work from and make it easier to handle changes fairly when they come up.
At the end of the day, people are still going to do peoply things. The best approach is to communicate clearly, stay flexible when possible, and make sure additional work is treated as additional work.
"Yes of course! I would be happy to provide a quote or I can add it to the invoice right now"
It happens more often than I'd like. 😄 I've learned not to say yes right away. I usually smile and say, "Sure, I can definitely take care of that. It wasn't part of the original quote, but I can add it on for you and let you know the price before I get started."
Most people are completely fine with it when you keep it friendly and upfront. It sets clear expectations without making things awkward.
