MarginWorkshopChange Order Price Calculator
Price additional scope mid-job without underselling it: extra material, extra labor, and a fair admin fee for the disruption.
Price at other admin fee levels
| Fee scenario | Price |
|---|---|
| No fee (0%) | $743.75 |
| Light (5%) | $780.94 |
| Standard (10%) | $818.13 |
| Disruptive (15%) | $855.31 |
| Major disruption (25%) | $929.69 |
Shared fields save automatically as you edit them. Review or edit everything in one place in your Business Profile, so every engine starts pre-filled.
Next Decision
Based on your results, these related decisions are available.
Want to Learn More?
Methodology
Formula: base cost = additional material + (additional labor hours × loaded labor rate). Admin fee = base cost × admin fee %. Change order price = (base cost + admin fee) / (1 - target margin).
Assumption: the admin fee compensates for the coordination and disruption cost of a mid-job scope change, it's a separate line item from profit margin, not folded into it.
Limitation: this prices one change order in isolation, it doesn't adjust the original job's price or margin.
Guide: The Scope and Warranty Cost Guide, why an owner's back-of-envelope change order price usually falls short.
Frequently Asked
- Why does a change order need its own admin fee?
- Mid-job scope changes disrupt sequencing and coordination beyond the direct material and labor cost; the admin fee compensates for that disruption, not just the extra work itself.
- How is the formula structured?
- Base cost is extra material plus extra labor hours at the loaded rate; the admin fee is a percentage of that base; the final price divides the total by (1 minus target margin) so margin is preserved on the change order too.
- Should the same margin target apply to change orders as the original job?
- That is a business choice; many contractors price change orders at the same or a higher margin than the original bid, since the client has less price leverage once work is already underway.
- What if the change order reduces scope instead of adding it?
- This engine prices additions; a scope reduction (a credit back to the client) is a different calculation and should not be run through this same formula in reverse without adjustment.