I’ve been burned by last-minute changes more than once, especially when storms hit mid-project and everyone’s scrambling. What’s helped me is keeping a running “change log” in a shared Google Doc—nothing fancy, just date, who requested, what changed, and estimated cost. I’ll snap a pic of any scribbled notes and drop them in there too. It’s not perfect, but at least everything’s in one spot and I can catch those sneaky add-ons before they mess up the budget. Hidden costs still creep in sometimes, but this way I’m not blindsided.
Hidden costs still creep in sometimes, but this way I’m not blindsided.
That’s been my experience too. I started keeping a “change board” taped up in the trailer after a job where we lost track of three different add-ons—one was just a small gutter repair, but it snowballed. The Google Doc idea sounds smoother than my scribbled notes, honestly. Still, even with everything tracked, those weather delays or surprise deck rot can throw a wrench in things. I’ve found looping the client in on every little update helps keep expectations realistic, even if it means more calls.
I’ve found looping the client in on every little update helps keep expectations realistic, even if it means more calls.
Yeah, I get that. When we redid our kitchen, I thought I was on top of every change... until my “minor” request for a bigger window meant moving electrical. That one caught me off guard. Sometimes I wonder if there’s ever a real way to see all the curveballs coming, or if it’s just part of the ride.
That’s the thing—no matter how many updates you give or get, there’s always something lurking behind a wall or under a floor. I’ve seen “just patch the roof” turn into “replace half the trusses” more than once. Is it even possible to catch every surprise before it hits your wallet? Sometimes I think the only guarantee is that there’ll be at least one curveball...
I hear you—last year we budgeted for a simple HVAC upgrade in one of our older buildings, and by the time the contractors opened up the ceiling, we found ancient wiring that needed a full replacement. The original estimate basically doubled overnight. I try to build in a “surprise fund” now, but honestly, there’s always something you can’t see coming. Even with all the due diligence, these old properties love to throw us a curveball or two...
