A change order is any work that falls outside the original scope of the project. It typically covers two situations: unforeseen conditions discovered during construction, such as hidden mechanical systems behind a wall that need to be relocated, or additions the homeowner decides to make after construction has already started. A change order does not apply when the contractor makes a mistake — at Kingdom & Co., errors like a broken fixture or misplaced material are covered at the company’s expense, not the client’s.