Scope creep and change orders
Reasonable requests and decision speed are two of the five stars, and together they predict change-order pain.
The 'while you're here' problem, scored
Reasonable requests and decision speed are two of the five stars, and together they predict change-order pain.
A customer who cannot decide on a fixture for three weeks and then wants the tile moved after it is set costs more than a low bid ever saves. Union Break scores both halves of that: how quickly a customer makes decisions, and how reasonable their requests were once work started.
Read the narratives, not just the stars. Members write what actually happened — the extra room added mid-job, the change order fought line by line — so you can see whether the pattern is likely to repeat on your scope.
Does a slow-decision score mean I should skip the job?
Not necessarily. It means you should build float and written approvals into the schedule, and avoid holding your crew on standby without a stocking fee.
Can I file a report on a job I finished last year?
Yes. Reports are dated by submission, and older jobs are still useful history as long as the account is firsthand.
Searches worth running
- change order
Reports where change orders were the issue.
- scope
Jobs that grew after the contract was signed.
- punch list
Endless punch lists at closeout.
Other topics
- Customers who pay late
Pays on time is one of the five stars every report scores, and it is the star that sinks the most jobs.
- Good customers to work for
The top band on Union Break means the crew would take the call again.
- Jobsite reviews by trade
A roofer's two-day job and a remodeler's eight-week job are rated by very different pressures.
- Customer reviews for union contractors
Union contractors carry real labor costs and real benefit obligations — a slow-paying customer hurts a signatory shop more than anyone.
- Prevailing wage and public works customers
Prevailing wage jobs come with certified payroll, retainage, and payment timelines set by statute, and some owners still find ways to stall.
- What customers should know about union shops
Union Break is written by the trades, but customers read it too — and the pattern in the reports is consistent.
- How to join a union trade
Most people overcomplicate this. There are three real paths into a union trade, and which one fits depends on your experience.
- What 'signatory contractor' actually means
A signatory shop has obligations that exist whether or not the customer's check clears — and that changes how you should pick jobs.
- Union contract basics for contractors
A union contract fixes what labor costs you. What it can't fix is whether the customer pays on time — that's still on you to check.