Start before the price
Notice, scope definition, schedule effect, field direction, and documentation determine whether the later pricing conversation has a strong record behind it.
Connect cost to the change
Direct labor and material are only useful if they remain tied to the event that caused them. Buried cost can make the base job look worse while understating the true change impact.
Account for total impact
Disruption, stacking, remobilization, supervision, acceleration, extended conditions, and downstream productivity can matter even when the direct change price appears adequate.
Approval is not billing
Executed change value can still sit outside the schedule of values, lag in the pay application, or remain partially billed. Commercial security requires the revenue to enter the billing stream.
Payment closes the loop
A change is not economically complete until the approved value, billings, receivable, retainage, and collection position reconcile back to the work performed.