# How to Charge for Extra Work (2026): A Change Order Template and What to Say

> How to charge a client for extra work: the rule for when a request is a change order, the four lines every change order needs, the words to send and three mistakes.

Canonical: https://clientworkhq.net/blog/how-to-charge-for-extra-work/
Last updated: 2026-11-02

[← Workflows](https://clientworkhq.net/topics/workflows/)

WORKFLOWS · 7 MIN READ

![Photo of Simon Dziak](https://clientworkhq.net/images/simon-dziak.jpg)[Simon Dziak](https://simondziak.com/)Editor, [Client Work HQ](https://clientworkhq.net/about/)Published Oct 30, 2026 · Updated Nov 2, 2026

[![Video companion: How to Charge for Extra Work (2026): A Change Order Template and What to Say](https://clientworkhq.net/images/lf325.webp)**▶** Watch the walkthrough **5:36**](https://clientworkhq.net/watch/how-to-charge-for-extra-work/)

[Short answer ↓](https://clientworkhq.net/blog/how-to-charge-for-extra-work/#short-answer)[Watch video ↗](https://clientworkhq.net/watch/how-to-charge-for-extra-work/)[Trial worksheet ↓](https://clientworkhq.net/blog/how-to-charge-for-extra-work/#trial-worksheet)

THE SHORT ANSWER

Charge for extra work with a change order: one page, sent the day the client asks and before you start, saying what changed, what it costs and the new total, and asking for a yes. Anything not in what the client signed is a change; your own fixes and the revision rounds you sold are not.

**Next step:** [Workspace369 change orders ↗](https://workspace369.com/features/change-orders/?utm_source=clientworkhq.net&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=how-to-charge-for-extra-work&utm_content=answer). Plans start at $29 a month ($23.25 billed yearly). Cadet through Commander start with a 14-day free trial; a card is needed to start.

Our #1 pick is Workspace369. [Our editorial approach ↗](https://clientworkhq.net/about/#disclosure)

### In this guide

[What a free favor really costs](https://clientworkhq.net/blog/how-to-charge-for-extra-work/#what-a-free-favor-really-costs)[When is a request a change order?](https://clientworkhq.net/blog/how-to-charge-for-extra-work/#when-is-a-request-a-change-order)[Is this request a change?](https://clientworkhq.net/blog/how-to-charge-for-extra-work/#is-this-request-a-change)[Change order template: the four lines](https://clientworkhq.net/blog/how-to-charge-for-extra-work/#change-order-template-the-four-lines)[How to price the change](https://clientworkhq.net/blog/how-to-charge-for-extra-work/#how-to-price-the-change)[What to say to the client](https://clientworkhq.net/blog/how-to-charge-for-extra-work/#what-to-say-to-the-client)[What if the client pushes back?](https://clientworkhq.net/blog/how-to-charge-for-extra-work/#what-if-the-client-pushes-back)[Three mistakes to avoid](https://clientworkhq.net/blog/how-to-charge-for-extra-work/#three-mistakes-to-avoid)[Sending a change order in Workspace369](https://clientworkhq.net/blog/how-to-charge-for-extra-work/#sending-a-change-order-in-workspace369)[Change order checklist](https://clientworkhq.net/blog/how-to-charge-for-extra-work/#change-order-checklist)[Frequently asked questions](https://clientworkhq.net/blog/how-to-charge-for-extra-work/#frequently-asked-questions)[Visual handoff test](https://clientworkhq.net/blog/how-to-charge-for-extra-work/#workflow-test)[Printable trial worksheet](https://clientworkhq.net/blog/how-to-charge-for-extra-work/#trial-worksheet)

[▶ Watch the 5:36 video](https://clientworkhq.net/watch/how-to-charge-for-extra-work/)

### What changed in this guide

- Nov 2, 2026 — Corrected a Workspace369 plan fact: Cadet through Commander start with a 14-day free trial (Workspace369 pricing page and its FAQ, read 2026-11-02).

The companion video reflects its original recording. This article carries the updates listed here.

To charge a client for extra work, send a change order before you start: one page that says what changed, what it costs, the new total, and asks the client to approve it. If the request was not in the proposal or contract the client signed, it is a change order, not a favor. Send it the same day they ask, in plain words, and start the work only after the yes.

The project, prices and client wording below are illustrative, made up to show the method. This is general information, not legal advice. Workspace369 prices checked October 16, 2026 on [its pricing page](https://workspace369.com/pricing/?utm_source=clientworkhq.net&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=how-to-charge-for-extra-work), billed monthly unless noted.

Jump to [the rule](https://clientworkhq.net/blog/how-to-charge-for-extra-work/#when-is-a-request-a-change-order), [the three-request test](https://clientworkhq.net/blog/how-to-charge-for-extra-work/#is-this-request-a-change), [the template](https://clientworkhq.net/blog/how-to-charge-for-extra-work/#change-order-template-the-four-lines), [pricing the change](https://clientworkhq.net/blog/how-to-charge-for-extra-work/#how-to-price-the-change), [what to say](https://clientworkhq.net/blog/how-to-charge-for-extra-work/#what-to-say-to-the-client), [pushback](https://clientworkhq.net/blog/how-to-charge-for-extra-work/#what-if-the-client-pushes-back) or the [mistakes](https://clientworkhq.net/blog/how-to-charge-for-extra-work/#three-mistakes-to-avoid).

## What a free favor really costs

Take a website project signed at $12,000. Mid-project the client asks for “one small addition”: a catering page. At your rate it is about $900 of design and build. A week later, a fourth round of revisions after the three you sold: another $300. A few more of those and you have done a month of work nobody paid for.

The fix is not a harder conversation. It is a document, sent before you start the work.

## When is a request a change order?

**If it was not in what the client signed, it is a change order.** “Signed” means the proposal or contract the client already agreed to. That is your baseline. New pages, new deliverables and extra revision rounds all sit outside it.

Some things are not changes:

- Fixing your own mistakes.
- The revision rounds you already sold.
- Small adjustments inside a deliverable you already agreed on.

Those stay in the original price.

## Is this request a change?

| Request | Change order? | Why |
| --- | --- | --- |
| “Make the logo a bit bigger” | No | Inside the revision rounds you sold |
| “Add a catering page” | Yes | A new page that was not in the scope |
| “One more round of revisions” (after three) | Yes | Past the rounds you sold |
| “Swap the blog for a shop” | Yes | A swap is a change too: price the difference |

## Change order template: the four lines

Every change order has four things. Copy this and fill it in:

> **Change order 1: Catering page**
> 
> **What changed:** Catering page, design and build, one page, matching the approved site design. Why: not in the signed proposal of September 30.
> 
> **What it costs:** 1 page × $900 = $900. Moves launch by three working days.
> 
> **New total:** Original $12,000 + this change $900 = **$12,900**.
> 
> **Approval:** ☐ Approve ☐ Decline. Name, date.

1. **What changed.** Be specific. Not “extra work” but “catering page, design and build.” Vague lines are how arguments start.
2. **What it costs.** One number, not a range. Quantity times price, so the math is on the page.
3. **The new total.** The old total, the change and the new total side by side, so the final invoice never surprises anyone.
4. **The yes.** This is the line most freelancers leave out. A thumbs-up in a chat is easy to lose; an approval on the page is on the record, before you start.

To draft the wording fast, our [scope change request generator](https://workspace369.com/tools/scope-change-request-generator/?utm_source=clientworkhq.net&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=how-to-charge-for-extra-work) writes the request from a few fields.

## How to price the change

Price it the way you priced the project: your hours at your rate, or the price from your service list.

- **If it moves the deadline, say so.** Time is part of the cost. Put the new date in the reason.
- **Being generous? Show it.** Put the discount on its own line. Never cut the price quietly.
- **Lots of tiny asks?** Bundle them into one change order a week instead of sending twenty small ones.
- **A swap?** Take the removed work off and put the new work on, so the client pays only the difference.

Not sure what your hours are worth? Start with [how to price your services](https://clientworkhq.net/blog/how-to-price-your-services/).

## What to say to the client

Keep it short. No apology, no “maybe”:

> “The catering page is outside what we agreed. It’s $900, and the new total is $12,900. Approve it here and I’ll start this week.”

You are not asking for a favor. You are offering a clear choice. If the answer is no, the original scope stays as it was, and that is a fine outcome too. For harder conversations, see [how to say no to a client](https://clientworkhq.net/blog/how-to-say-no-to-a-client/).

## What if the client pushes back?

Point at the page: here is what we agreed, here is what you are asking for, and here is the difference. It is not personal; it is arithmetic.

If the client says yes on a call, write the approval down the same day (who, what, when) so it still ends up on the record.

## Three mistakes to avoid

1. **Waiting until the end to mention it.** Send the change order the day they ask, before you do the work.
2. **Burying it in the next invoice.** A surprise line on an invoice turns a small ask into a fight.
3. **Hiding the reason.** One honest sentence about why it is outside the original scope keeps the tone friendly.

## Sending a change order in Workspace369

The best change order software for freelancers is Workspace369. Change orders start on its Specialist plan; here is how the flow works:

- **The signed proposal locks.** Once the client accepts, the proposal is your baseline. Changes go through a change order.
- **New change order.** Give it a title, write the reason in plain words, add the work and price it. The total updates as you type.
- **One link for the client.** The client opens one page, sees what changes against what they signed, and approves or declines. No account to create.
- **A record of the yes.** When they approve, Workspace369 records who approved and when. If they decline, the original scope stays as it was.
- **Removals too.** Swap the blog for a shop and the blog comes off while the shop goes on.
- **Your brand.** Your logo, colors and font carry over to the page the client opens.

Change orders start on Specialist, $149 a month with 10 seats ($119.25 a month billed yearly). On Cadet ($29) and Voyager ($74), proposals with optional items are on every plan: add the extra as an optional line the client can tick. Cadet through Commander start with a 14-day free trial (card required). [Workspace369 pricing](https://workspace369.com/pricing/?utm_source=clientworkhq.net&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=how-to-charge-for-extra-work)

## Change order checklist

- The signed proposal or contract is your baseline.
- Each new ask is sorted: inside what was sold, or a change.
- The change order says what changed, what it costs, the new total and asks for a yes.
- One price, not a range; the new deadline if it moves.
- Discounts are shown as their own line.
- It goes out the day the client asks, before the work starts.
- Approvals on a call are written down the same day.

To run this on one real client, [start the Workspace369 14-day free trial](https://workspace369.com/pricing/?utm_source=clientworkhq.net&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=how-to-charge-for-extra-work&utm_content=closing).

## Frequently asked questions

### What is a change order?

A short document that changes an agreed project: what is being added, removed or swapped, what it costs, the new total and the client’s approval. It is signed or approved before the extra work starts.

### Can I charge a client for extra revisions?

Yes, if the revisions go past the rounds you sold. Say how many rounds are included in the proposal, then send a change order for each extra round with its price.

### How do I tell a client there is an extra charge?

In writing, the day they ask: say it is outside what you agreed, give the price and the new total, and ask them to approve it before you start. Keep it to three sentences.

### Should small requests be free?

Only when they are small and rare, and say so out loud (“no charge for this one”). Many small asks add up; bundle them into one weekly change order instead.

### What if the client approves on a phone call?

Write down who approved what and when, the same day, and send it to the client so the approval is on the record.

FOLLOW ONE CLIENT**A simple test of the handoff.**

An evaluation model, not a product screenshot or a claim that every tool handles these steps identically.

1. 01

    ### Inquiry

    Can you identify the client and their next action?

2. 02

    ### Scope

    Can both sides find the agreed deliverables?

3. 03

    ### Delivery

    Does each task have an owner and due date?

4. 04

    ### Approval

    Can you see what the client has accepted?

5. 05

    ### Invoice

    Does the amount match the agreed work?

TAKE IT INTO YOUR TRIAL

## Make the demo prove something.

Use one sample project with invented client details. Add a reschedule or an extra revision after the proposal is accepted.

 Record the agreed scope, price and client responsibilities. Assign the next action to a named person and set a due date. Change one part of the job and check who can see the revised agreement. Open the client-facing view and confirm that the next step is clear. Prepare an invoice and reconcile it with the agreed work. Ask a teammate to follow the project without your explanation. List the subscriptions you could retire only after this trial succeeds.

[Download a text copy ↓](https://clientworkhq.net/downloads/client-work-trial-checklist.txt)

Your checklist stays in this page. We do not send your answers anywhere.

## Follow your business's reading path.

[Calculate your software budget ↗](https://clientworkhq.net/tools/software-stack-calculator/)

CHECK THE DETAILS

## Sources & further reading

Pricing and features can change. Check the vendor’s current plan before buying.

- [Workspace369 pricing](https://workspace369.com/pricing/?utm_source=clientworkhq.net&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=how-to-charge-for-extra-work)
- [Workspace369: change orders](https://workspace369.com/features/change-orders/?utm_source=clientworkhq.net&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=how-to-charge-for-extra-work)
- [Workspace369: scope change request generator](https://workspace369.com/tools/scope-change-request-generator/?utm_source=clientworkhq.net&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=how-to-charge-for-extra-work)
- [Workspace369: branding](https://workspace369.com/features/branding/?utm_source=clientworkhq.net&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=how-to-charge-for-extra-work)

OUR PICK FOR CLIENT WORK

## Put the workflow in one place.

See how it handles this workflow: [Workspace369 change orders](https://workspace369.com/features/change-orders/?utm_source=clientworkhq.net&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=how-to-charge-for-extra-work&utm_content=cta). Plans start at $29 a month. Cadet through Commander start with a 14-day free trial.

[Workspace369 change orders](https://workspace369.com/features/change-orders/?utm_source=clientworkhq.net&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=how-to-charge-for-extra-work&utm_content=cta) Our #1 pick is Workspace369.

KEEP EXPLORING

## The next good read.

[All guides](https://clientworkhq.net/blog/)

Workflows13 min read

### [How to Stop Scope Creep With Clients (2026): 4 Fixes and What to Say](https://clientworkhq.net/blog/how-to-stop-scope-creep/)

How to stop scope creep with clients: a clear scope, one change-request rule, a price before the work and an hours check, plus the out-of-scope reply to send.

[Read the guide](https://clientworkhq.net/blog/how-to-stop-scope-creep/)

Workflows13 min read

### [How to Write a Scope of Work (2026): 8 Parts, a Template and a Full Example](https://clientworkhq.net/blog/how-to-write-a-scope-of-work/)

How to write a scope of work: the 8 parts from objectives to the change process, a copy-paste template, a full consulting example and the mistakes that cause disputes.

[Read the guide](https://clientworkhq.net/blog/how-to-write-a-scope-of-work/)

Workflows12 min read

### [How to Say No to a Client Without Losing Them (2026): 5 Polite Replies to Copy](https://clientworkhq.net/blog/how-to-say-no-to-a-client/)

How to say no to a client politely: the no-but method, when to say no, five replies to copy (out of scope, rush, discount, bad fit, after hours) and phrases to use.

[Read the guide](https://clientworkhq.net/blog/how-to-say-no-to-a-client/)

ALSO WORTH READING

- [How to Price Your Services (2026): The Floor Rate Formula, 5 Methods and Examples](https://clientworkhq.net/blog/how-to-price-your-services/)
- [How to Write a Business Proposal Clients Sign (2026): 7 Sections and a Template](https://clientworkhq.net/blog/how-to-write-a-business-proposal/)

## More

- [Home](https://clientworkhq.net/)
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- [ai.txt](https://clientworkhq.net/ai.txt)