Who Pays for Extra Work?
The answer depends on why the extra work is needed. Here is how to tell, and how to agree it before it is done.
The short answer
It depends on why it's needed. Agree it before it's done.
If you ask for extra or different work, you normally pay for it. If the extra is needed because the contractor missed something that should reasonably have been in the original price, or has to put right their own mistake, that normally falls to the contractor. If it is needed because of something genuinely hidden that nobody could have seen, it comes down to what the quote said, for example whether it included a provisional sum or excluded that risk.
Whichever it is, the cost of extra work should be agreed in writing before the work is carried out. That one habit prevents most disagreements. This is general information, not legal advice.
Three situations
Where the cost usually sits
You asked for it
Extra windows, a different finish, a larger area, a change of mind. This is a change to the job, and the price changes with it. You pay, at a price agreed first.
Something was hidden
Rot under a covering, a problem behind a wall. Check the quote: a provisional sum or a stated exclusion usually decides it. See what is a provisional sum?
It should have been included
Work that was plainly part of the job, or putting right the contractor's own mistakes or damage. This is normally the contractor's cost to carry.
Agreeing changes
What a clear agreement on extras looks like
In the building trade a change to the agreed work is often called a variation. A good variation agreement doesn't need to be formal. A short message that says what the extra work is, what it will cost, and whether it affects the finish date is enough, as long as both of you have agreed it before the work goes ahead.
It helps to settle at the start how extras will be handled. Some contractors price each one as it comes up; others agree a day rate or a rate for materials. The guide to variations and extra costs goes into this, and our answer on whether you need a written contract explains why it is worth writing down.
If a change will affect the finish date, agree that at the same time. A small extra can have a knock-on effect on timing, and it is better known in advance.
In practice
A simple way to handle extras
Before work starts
Make sure the quote describes the job clearly. See what a building quote should include.
When an extra comes up
Ask what it is, why it is needed and what it costs. Ask whether it could wait or be done differently.
Agree it in writing
Confirm the description and price by message or email before the work is done.
Keep a running list
Note every agreed extra and its price, so the final bill holds no surprises. It also makes the conversation about price much easier.
Mid-job discoveries
When the contractor uncovers a problem part-way through
Sometimes a contractor opens up a roof, a wall or a floor and uncovers something nobody could have seen at the site visit. A good contractor stops, shows you the problem (photographs are fine if you can't get up there), explains what is needed and what it will cost, and waits for your decision.
Take a moment before agreeing. Ask whether the work is needed now or could wait, whether there is more than one way to deal with it, and whether it falls within any allowance already in the quote. If you want reassurance, it is reasonable to ask for time to get a second view on anything significant.
Once you are happy, confirm the extra in writing with its price. That keeps the final bill straightforward.
This is general information, not legal advice. Who pays in a particular case depends on what was agreed and the facts. Citizens Advice can explain your options if you can't reach agreement.
If you use Mortaro
Questions go through one point of contact
When we coordinate your job, you ask us about anything that comes up during the work, including a proposed extra, and we get the answer from your contractor while they get on with the job. Your construction contract is with your contractor, and so is the price of the work. How quotations work sets out what the original quotation covers.
Straight answers
Questions about extra work
Do I have to pay for extra work I didn't agree to?
Work you didn't ask for or agree to is something you can question. The position depends on the circumstances, so talk to the contractor first and get advice from Citizens Advice if needed.
What if the contractor damaged something while working?
Putting right damage they caused is normally the contractor's responsibility, not an extra. Raise it promptly, with photographs.
What if I asked for something small and didn't realise it would cost more?
Ask for the price of any change before it is done, however small it seems. If it has already been done, talk it through with the contractor and agree a fair figure.
Start here
Tell us about the work you have in mind
We will confirm we cover your postcode, arrange a site visit with a contractor from our network and send you a written quotation. No charge, no obligation.