Selections and change orders in Buildertrend: stop losing money in the gap

Ask any remodeler where margin disappears and you'll hear the same two answers: selections that come in late, and changes that never get billed. Both happen in the gap between a conversation on the jobsite and the paperwork in the office. Buildertrend can close that gap, if it's set up to.

The money leak

• A homeowner picks tile by text. Nobody can find the message, and the wrong tile shows up.
• A selection comes in two weeks late, and the cabinet install slides with it.
• The homeowner approves an upgrade on the driveway. The work gets done. The change never makes it to an invoice.

None of these are big on their own. Across a year of jobs, they add up to real money.

Selections with allowances and deadlines

Set up every selection with three things:

• The choices, with photos and specs where it helps
• An allowance, so the homeowner sees the budget they're working with
• A deadline tied to the schedule, so a late decision is visible before it delays the job

When the homeowner picks online, the decision is in writing and attached to the job, and any difference from the allowance is tracked instead of remembered.

Change orders before the work

The rule is simple: no change gets built until it's signed. Create the change order in Buildertrend, send it to the homeowner, and let them approve it online, often from their phone in a couple of minutes. It feels like extra work for about a week, then it becomes the normal way jobs run.

Make changes flow to the invoice

The point of a signed change order is getting paid for it. Set up invoicing so approved change orders are picked up on the next invoice or draw. Then nobody has to remember to add them.

Use selection templates

If you offer similar choices on every kitchen or bath, build selection templates once and reuse them. Your team spends less time setting up each job, and homeowners get a consistent, professional experience.

Watch the unbilled list

Once a week, look at approved changes that haven't been invoiced yet, and selections that are close to their deadlines. Ten minutes on Monday prevents most of the surprises at closeout.

The quick version

1. Every selection gets choices, an allowance and a deadline
2. Deadlines are tied to the schedule
3. No change gets built until it's signed online
4. Approved changes flow onto the next invoice
5. Reuse selection templates for common job types
6. Review unbilled changes and upcoming deadlines weekly

Setting this up is part of our client management and financial management work. Book a free system audit and we'll show you where your account is leaking.