Separate the agreement from the proposal
- What work did you and the client originally agree to?
- What exactly is being added or changed?
- What additional price and delivery date are you proposing, if you know them?
- What needs the client's approval before you proceed?
Check the original scope before calling something extra. If the requested work is already included, do not present it as a newly chargeable addition.
Example: adding a booking page
Fictional scenario: Alex and Morgan agreed to a five-page website without a booking page, due September 18. Morgan now requests a booking page. Alex proposes USD 300 extra and delivery on September 22. Morgan has not approved those changes.
Subject: Approval needed for the booking-page addition
Hi Morgan,
The booking page would be an addition to our agreed five-page website. I can add it for USD 300, with delivery moving from September 18 to September 22.
Would you like to approve that additional work, price, and revised delivery date? I'll wait for your confirmation before starting the addition. We can also keep the original scope and delivery date.
Thanks,
Alex
If you cannot estimate it yet
Ask for the missing detail instead of guessing a price or date. For example, if the client has not said whether they need online payment:
Before I estimate the booking page, could you confirm whether visitors only need to request a time or also pay online? Once that is clear, I can propose the scope, price, and timing for your approval.
A useful draft can ask a question. It does not need to fill every gap with a commitment.
If the client says, "I thought that was included"
Return to the agreed work and clarify the mismatch without assigning blame. You could write:
Thanks for clarifying. My understanding was that the five-page website did not include a booking page. Could we review that part of the scope together before deciding how to proceed?
Keep approval of the work, price, and timing explicit. A request for an addition is not the same as acceptance of new charges.