You know how it goes. Homeowner asks you to "just move that outlet while you're in there." You say sure. Next thing you know, you've got two extra hours of work, a materials run, and no record of any of it. Job closes out and you wonder why you made less than you budgeted.
That's a change order problem. And if you're running solo, it hits harder than you think.
The Real Cost of Undocumented Changes
Every residential remodel has scope creep. That's not the issue. The issue is when extra work happens on a handshake and never makes it onto paper.
Here's what that looks like in practice:
- You swap a standard door for a prehung unit the homeowner picked out last minute — $200 more in materials, an extra hour of labor
- Client asks to add a dedicated circuit after electrical rough-in is already done — means going back in and re-patching
- "Can you paint those two extra rooms while you're set up?" — sounds small, it's half a day
Individually these feel like rounding errors. Add them up across a $40,000 kitchen remodel and you've left $2,000–$3,000 on the table. That's real money when you're one person.
Why Solo GCs Skip the Paperwork
Most solo contractors skip formal change orders for a few reasons:
- It feels awkward. You've got a good relationship with the homeowner. Stopping the job to write up paperwork feels like you're being difficult.
- The tools are clunky. If you're using a Word doc or emailing PDFs, it takes 20 minutes to write up a change order for a $150 job. Not worth it.
- You're in the middle of a job. You're on the roof or knee-deep in demo. You'll handle it later. Later never comes.
So you eat the cost or awkwardly bring it up at final invoice. Neither is good.
A Simple System That Actually Works
The fix isn't complicated. You need a process that's fast enough to use on-site, creates a paper trail automatically, and gets the homeowner's signature before work starts — every time, no exceptions.
Here's what that looks like:
Rule 1: Every change gets written up, no matter how small.
If it's not in the original contract, it gets a change order. Even a $50 change. Especially a $50 change — because $50 is a habit, and habits compound.
Rule 2: Write it up before you do the work.
Not after. Not at the end of the day. Before. It takes two minutes if you have the right tool. The homeowner is standing right there. Get the signature.
Rule 3: Tie it to the invoice automatically.
A change order that doesn't make it onto the final invoice does nothing. Your system needs to carry the approved amount forward without you having to remember to add it.
How Chisel Handles This
Chisel has change orders built in — not as an add-on, not buried in a settings menu. You write up the scope and price right from your phone, the homeowner gets a link to review and e-sign from theirs, and once it's approved it attaches to the job automatically.
No PDFs. No back-and-forth email. No "I'll get to it later."
The whole thing takes about 90 seconds on a job site. You document the change, the customer approves it, and you move on. At invoice time, everything is already accounted for.
That's the difference between guessing at your margin and actually knowing it.
Bottom Line
Change orders don't have to be awkward or time-consuming. They just have to happen. Every solo GC who builds the habit of writing up every scope change — before the work starts — plugs a leak that most guys don't even realize they have.
If your current process is a text message or a "we'll figure it out," you're leaving money on every job.
