How Do You Handle a GC Adding Scope That Was Not in Your Contract

Scope creep from general contractors is one of the most common profitability killers in low voltage work. How you handle it determines whether you finish the job in the black or the red.

How Scope Creep Starts

"While you are up there, can you run one more drop to the conference room?" It sounds small. It is not. One extra drop means cable, a new pathway, termination, testing, labeling, and a trip back to the telecom room. Multiply that by every "small" request over a 3-month project and you have given away thousands in unbilled labor.

The problem is that saying no to a GC on site feels like it will damage the relationship. But absorbing free work damages your business. The balance is handling it professionally with a system, not a confrontation.

The Change Order Process

Every addition beyond the original scope gets a written change order before the work starts. This is standard practice in construction, not something you need to apologize for. A simple change order includes: description of the additional work, material cost, labor estimate, and a signature line.

Keep blank change order forms on your tablet or in the truck. When a GC asks for extra work, pull out the form on the spot. "Absolutely, let me write that up so we are both covered." It is professional, not adversarial.

Setting the Expectation Early

The best time to establish your change order process is at the pre-construction meeting or during contract negotiation. Let the GC know up front: any work outside the original scope will be documented with a change order. Most GCs respect this because they use the same process with their own subs.

The Bottom Line

Change orders are not confrontation. They are documentation. The contractors who use them consistently are the ones who stay profitable on every job.

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