Unauthorized work and written approval
How Proofstead treats work that moved beyond the approved record and why homeowners should compare invoices to written approvals before accepting extra charges.
- +If billed work is not supported by the written record, question it before treating it as approved.
- +Written approval protects contractors too because it preserves the reason and cost basis for the extra work.
- +Keep disputes or clarifications in the workspace so the same record stays visible.
What counts as unauthorized work
In a documented workflow, unauthorized work usually means billed work that cannot be tied back to the approved scope or an approved change order. That does not automatically mean the work had no value. It means the record needed to justify it is missing.
That gap matters because later billing, warranty, and dispute review all rely on the written trail.
How to respond when the record and the bill do not match
Homeowners should ask the contractor to point to the exact approval that supports the extra billed work. Contractors should answer the same way: by pointing to the record instead of asking the homeowner to rely on memory.
If the supporting record does not exist, keep the clarification in writing and inside the workspace whenever possible.
- +Identify the exact line item or work that seems unsupported.
- +Ask where it was approved in writing.
- +Keep the explanation tied to the documented job record.
Why written approval helps both sides
Homeowners get clarity before costs move. Contractors get a defendable record that explains why the work changed and what was approved.
Without that written approval, both sides are left reconstructing cost conversations later, which is exactly the situation Proofstead is designed to reduce.