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How should a contract handle upgrades during the project?

Short answer. Through a change order provision: every upgrade goes through a written request, revised pricing, mutual agreement, and a signed amendment. It gives the client flexibility and protects you from scope creep without payment.

Work it through

You're the contractor. Pick what you'd do, then see how each choice plays out.

Kyle & Maria Reeves

Young couple who just bought their first fixer-upper

Kyle and Maria agreed to the phased approach. You're drafting the contract for Phase 1 — the main bathroom at $15,000.

Maria asks, "Can we add a clause that lets us upgrade materials mid-project if we find extra money?"

  1. Correct

    A change order provision is excellent contract practice. It sets the process for modifications: written request, revised pricing, mutual agreement, documented amendment. This lets Maria upgrade her tile if birthday money comes through, while protecting you from scope creep without corresponding payment. Every contract should have a change order process.

  2. Unnecessarily rigid

    Change orders are normal in residential construction. Refusing to accommodate them makes you inflexible and costs you business. The professional approach is to have a clear change order process in your contract. Maria's request is reasonable — she just wants the flexibility to upgrade if funds allow. Build the process into the contract and you're both protected.

All 19 home improvement contracts questions

  1. Is a handshake deal legal for home improvement work in Maryland?
  2. What must a Maryland home improvement contract include?
  3. Which MHIC notice must every home improvement contract include?
  4. What if a signed contract is missing the completion date?
  5. Can a Maryland home improvement contract require arbitration?
  6. What happens in a scope dispute when nothing is in writing?
  7. Does a small cash side job need a written contract?
  8. Does a $2,000 job need a written home improvement contract?
  9. Can you start emergency repairs before signing a contract?
  10. Should you give a homeowner a ballpark or a written estimate?
  11. How do you fix a vague scope of work before it becomes a dispute?
  12. How should you respond when a client redlines your contract?
  13. How should a contract handle upgrades during the project?
  14. How do you price a contract for work that starts months later?
  15. Should a multi-year renovation be one contract or several?
  16. Can you sign a home improvement contract with a 17-year-old?
  17. What happens when a homeowner fires you partway through a job?
  18. Can you substitute materials named in the contract?
  19. How should you handle materials the homeowner supplies?