When “one quick change”
changes the project.

You do not need a confrontation. You need a shared description of what changed and what happens next.

Separate a revision from a new request

A revision refines an agreed deliverable. A new request adds a deliverable, changes the approved direction, or changes a requirement that the original estimate relied on. The dividing line depends on your agreement. Describe it before work begins, ideally with examples relevant to the job.

For a five-page website, adjusting an included page’s spacing may be a revision. Adding a booking system may be a new deliverable. Neither is universally “small”; judge the work and its effect on your schedule.

Acknowledge the idea, then make the tradeoff clear

“That could be a useful addition. It falls outside the five pages we agreed. I can estimate it as an extra, or we can replace one of the existing deliverables to keep the current budget. Which would you prefer?”

This response makes the choice concrete. You are not rejecting the client’s goal; you are clarifying how the request fits the budget and schedule.

Define a round of feedback

“Two revisions” is ambiguous if one person imagines two individual changes and another imagines weeks of rolling comments. A clearer starting point is one consolidated feedback list per round, supplied by an agreed decision-maker. Explain when feedback is due and how conflicting comments will be resolved.

Use a short written change note

Before doing the extra work, record:

• The requested addition or change.
• What it replaces or adds to the agreed deliverables.
• The additional price, if any.
• The effect on the schedule and other milestones.
• The client’s written approval.

Keep the original scope and the change note together. A clear record is useful for coordination even when both parties have the best intentions.

When the request is genuinely tiny

You may choose to include a small extra as goodwill. Say so explicitly: “I can include this small adjustment in the existing fee.” This makes it a deliberate exception instead of quietly rewriting your scope.

Example language is general business guidance, not legal advice.