The client approved it. Now they want changes. What do you say?
Email scripts for client changes after approval. Separate corrections, included revisions and paid extras before quoting a fee or changing the deadline.
Here's a fictional Monday-morning problem: the client approved the homepage on Friday. Now they want a new layout and a booking flow. You don't have to say yes for free. You also shouldn't label every post-approval request "scope creep".
First work out what changed. A typo you introduced, feedback that belongs to an included revision round, and a new booking system are three different jobs. The reply should reflect that difference.
The examples below are fictional, copy-ready email scripts for fixed-price web work. Replace the brackets, check the accepted scope and your contract, and choose the script that fits. They are not legal advice.
Check the request before pricing it
Read the version the client accepted, not your latest draft. Check the deliverables, exclusions, revision allowance, and any later written agreement.
Then ask:
- Is this a correction needed to meet the agreed brief?
- Is it feedback within an unused included round?
- Is it a new deliverable or a change to something already approved?
Approval is useful evidence, but it doesn't turn incomplete work into extra work. If you omitted a page you promised, fix the omission instead of selling it back to the client.
You missed something in the brief
Subject: Correction to [page or deliverable]
Hi [name], You're right: [specific issue] doesn't match the agreed [brief/specification]. I'll correct it without an extra charge and send the updated version by [date]. [Your name]
Do not surround this with a lecture about revision limits. A correction and a preference change shouldn't share the same label.
There's still a revision round left
Subject: Next revision for [project]
Hi [name], These changes fit within the remaining included revision round for [deliverable]. Please send one consolidated list of feedback by [date], including input from anyone else reviewing it. I'll use that list for this round and send the updated version by [date]. The round covers [scope]; it doesn't add [new deliverable]. [Your name]
Only ask for a consolidated list if that matches your agreement, or propose it as a process to agree now. Don't count individual messages as separate rounds after the fact.
The booking flow wasn't in the quote
Subject: Change request for [project]
Hi [name], I can add [requested change]. The accepted quote includes [original deliverable]; this request adds [specific extra work], so it sits outside that scope. The extra fee would be [amount and currency], with [tax treatment if applicable]. It would move [milestone] from [old date] to [new date], assuming approval by [date]. I'll keep working on the agreed scope unless you prefer to pause it. Please approve the change and its fee before I start the extra work. If you'd rather stay within the current budget, we can discuss a smaller version or a scope swap. [Your name]
Quote the actual difference. "This is out of scope" on its own makes the client do the comparison.
Check dependencies before saying the rest can continue. If the new direction blocks the current work, say which part must pause and agree on the effect on the schedule.
'But it's only a small change'
Subject: Options for [requested change]
Hi [name], The visible change is small, but it also needs [implementation/testing/content work]. I can do it for [amount] and [timeline impact]. A lower-cost option is [smaller alternative] for [amount]. We can also keep the accepted version and leave this for a later phase. Which option would you prefer? I haven't started the extra work yet. [Your name]
Use real tasks, not a padded list to justify the price. If the change genuinely takes little time and you choose to include it, record that choice so it isn't mistaken for unlimited revisions.
The quote just said 'complete website'
Subject: Clarifying [requested change]
Hi [name], Our quote wasn't specific enough about [unclear item]. Before we go further, I'd like to agree on what this includes. My proposed scope is [deliverables], excluding [exclusions], with [revision process]. For the current request, I suggest [fair proposal], at [fee or no extra charge], with [timeline]. Can we confirm that in writing before I continue? [Your name]
A vague promise such as "complete website" gives you less to point to. Own the ambiguity instead of pretending your interpretation was obviously agreed.
Record the decision, including a "no"
A useful change record names the requested work, what stays unchanged, the extra price, any payment terms, and the schedule impact. Send it before doing the work. If the client declines, retain the accepted original scope and record that the proposed change wasn't added.
FirmQuote locks an accepted quote and lets you propose priced change orders on the same client link. Accepted changes add to the running total; declined ones don't. Its approval records are not verified legal signatures, and it does not collect payments. Keep your underlying contract and relevant correspondence too.
Don't build the booking flow while waiting for a reply. Send the options, keep the accepted scope intact, and wait for the decision.