Change Orders Done Right: Protect Your Margin
Scope changes eat profit. Use this 72-hour change order system to price fast, get approvals, pick the right TVA, and keep cash flowing with Donizo.
[August 2025 Update] Homeowners keep asking for upgrades mid-job, and subsidies like MaPrimeRĂ©nov' continue to shift through 2025. That means more scope changes, mixed VAT rates (10%, 5.5%, 20%), and tighter margins. Materials still move with the BT01 index, and clients compare every quote. Stay sharp: price changes fast, get approvals in writing, and bill without delay. For subsidy details, check France RĂ©nov'. For macro trends like BT01, see INSEE.
This article gives you a simple 72-hour change order system you can run on every job. Plain steps, ready-to-use scripts, and how to handle VAT lines. We show exactly where a tool like Donizo fits so you save time and protect your margin.
The real problem: free work and slow cash
- Client says, "While you’re here, can you also…?" You say yes. No paper trail. Weeks later, they forget it was extra.
- Plumber moves a drain. Painter does an extra room "quickly." Tiler shifts a layout. No signed change. No deposit. You just donated your Saturday.
- Mixed VAT jobs add risk: energy upgrades at 5.5%, renovation at 10%, sometimes 20% on new area. One mistake and there goes your profit.
Stop the free work with a clear, repeatable system.
The 72-hour change order system
- Capture the ask on site
- Take a photo and dictate the change by voice. Keep it specific: scope, location, materials, and what’s excluded.
- Example: "Add one extra double socket in living room, right wall, finish same as existing. Does not include repainting whole wall."
- Price the change the same day
- Use a quick cost sheet. Add your margin, then VAT.
- Guardrails help. If you aim for 35% margin:
Ditch the paperwork and reclaim your time with Donizo.
Contractors across Europe trust Donizo to handle their quotes and invoices while they focus on what they do best: their craft.
