Every remodeling job has a few requests that show up more than any others. Here are the five contractors run into most, and why they're worth planning for before they come up.
1. Upgrading a material after seeing it in person
Countertops and cabinet finishes are the biggest offenders. A customer picks a laminate sample from a catalog, then sees quartz in the showroom and wants to switch. It happens on nearly every kitchen job.
2. Adding an outlet or extra lighting
Once a wall is open, it's cheap for the customer to ask for "just one more" outlet or a light switch somewhere new. It's also one of the easiest requests to underprice, since the labor is more than it looks.
3. Small layout tweaks
Widening a doorway, moving a vanity six inches, resizing a closet. None of these are big changes on paper, but they usually mean redoing framing or plumbing that was already finished.
4. Extra storage
A pantry cabinet, a shelf, a closet organizer. Customers rarely plan for storage upfront, then remember mid-project once they see the empty wall space.
5. A plumbing add-on
An extra sink, a better shower head, a water filtration line. These get requested most often on bathroom and kitchen jobs, usually right after the customer has watched a home renovation show.
None of these are unreasonable asks. The problem isn't the request, it's that most of them get agreed to on the spot, verbally, without a real price attached. That's how a five minute favor turns into an hour of unpaid work.
The fix is the same for all five: price it before you say yes, and get it in writing, even if it's just a text.