The extra page request: quote it or quietly absorb it?
A practical way to turn a casual client request into a clear, proportionate decision.
An “extra page” rarely arrives sounding like a change order. It appears in a message, a review call or a comment in the design file. The useful move is not to become defensive; it is to identify what changed, measure the delivery impact and give the client a clean choice.
Separate the request from the reaction
Write the request in neutral language before deciding whether it is included. “Add an About page with supplied copy” is easier to evaluate than “the client keeps adding things.” Then compare it with the accepted scope, including page count, content responsibilities and revision limits.
Small does not always mean free. A page can introduce copy preparation, navigation changes, responsive design, QA and launch work. List the real tasks so your response is based on delivery, not irritation.
- Original promise and accepted deliverables
- New work required to complete the request
- Effect on fee, schedule and dependencies
Offer a decision, not a dispute
If the work is outside the baseline, make the quote easy to approve. Restate the request, show what is included, name the price and explain any schedule change. Avoid sending an internal cost breakdown unless it helps the client choose.
Sometimes absorbing the work is sensible: the effort is truly minor, the relationship matters and you name it as a one-time accommodation. Record that decision so the exception does not quietly become the new baseline.
- Proceed now at the quoted fee
- Swap it for another deliverable
- Hold it for a later phase
Close the loop before production
Do not begin from an ambiguous “sounds good.” Ask for an explicit approval of the added work, price and timing. Clearcut is designed to capture that small commercial moment without turning it into a legal ceremony.
Update the working plan after approval. The delivery team should see the new page, source materials, owner and revised due date in the same place they see the original work.
- Client approval is recorded
- Source copy and assets have an owner
- Timeline and project total are current
