The client wants more. That's actually good news — it means they value your work. The challenge is communicating the price increase in a way that feels fair, not punitive.
Frame it as an addition, not an increase
Never say "the price went up." Say "here's the cost for the additional work." The original price stays the same; you're adding a new line item. This is psychologically much easier for clients to accept.
Show the math
Be transparent. "The original scope was 5 pages at $3,000. You've asked for 3 additional pages. At $600 per page, the additional work comes to $1,800, bringing the total to $4,800." Transparency builds trust.
Use a formal change order
A change order transforms a price negotiation into a professional approval process. The client sees exactly what they're getting and what it costs, and they approve with a click. ScopePilot generates these automatically when scope changes happen, complete with a client-facing approval link.
Offer options
If the full price increase is too much, offer to descope something from the original agreement to make room. "We can add the three new pages if we simplify the animations on the existing pages. That would keep the budget closer to the original."
Get approval before starting
Never do the additional work before the change order is approved. This is the most common mistake — starting work on good faith and then discovering the client won't pay for it.