You opened the wall and found mold. You pulled up tile and found cracked subfloor. You turned on the water and a pipe burst. None of it was your fault, but the homeowner thinks you caused it.

Why Pre-Existing Issues Become Your Problem

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Hidden Conditions

Problems behind walls, under floors, or inside ceilings aren't visible until demo begins. The homeowner didn't know, and now assumes you broke it.

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No Baseline Record

Without documented conditions before work started, it's your word against theirs. “It was fine before you got here” becomes impossible to disprove.

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Cost Shock

Fixing pre-existing issues adds cost. The client sees a bigger bill and looks for someone to blame. You're standing right there with a tool belt on.

How Change Orders Shield You

Document the pre-existing condition with photos and a written description the moment you discover it

Create a change order that describes the issue and the additional work needed to address it

Include the cost of remediation so the client understands the financial impact before signing

Get the client's digital signature acknowledging the pre-existing condition and approving the fix

The signed change order proves you discovered it. You didn't cause it

Stop Getting Blamed for Problems You Didn't Create.

A signed change order proves you discovered the issue, not caused it. Document everything, get approval, and protect your reputation.

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