Is this change order fair?

What you get

A written position, two business days from written Start Confirmation: yes, no, or not yet. With it:

• The entitlement question, answered. Which contract clause gives the contractor the right to this money, and whether it actually does.
• The pricing, line by line. Labor rates against the bid, material pricing, stacked overhead and profit across tiers, unit-price math, and the credit for deleted work that never appears.
• The response letter, written so you can send it as-is. Approve, reject, or request backup, in the contractor's own vocabulary.
• A short call if you want to talk it through before you send anything.

What to send

• The change order, with whatever backup came with it.
• The contract, including the general conditions and the bid or schedule of values.
• Any emails where the change was first raised. Timing matters.

When it is not worth it

A change order under about $10,000 rarely justifies a review at this fee, and a change you asked for and agreed to in writing usually needs a price check, not an entitlement fight. We will tell you either way before you pay. If you would rather run the review yourself, the Change-Order Review Worksheet is $99 and the free guide shows the method.

When the review starts

The delivery clock starts with a written Start Confirmation after the scope and fee are accepted, payment is received, all required documents and information are confirmed complete, and delivery capacity is confirmed, including the site-walk appointment when the scope includes one. We confirm capacity before requesting payment. The Start Confirmation states the start date and delivery date. Acceptance alone, invoice issuance, and payment alone do not start the clock.

This review is diligence, not legal advice, and is not a substitute for the advice of an attorney. It organizes the questions you bring to the professionals you hire. Engagement letter on every paid job.