Big win turned into a $4k loss on that Stihl job in Colorado

Out here in western Colorado, we just wrapped a commercial landscaping install for a new office park, quoted $12k total using Stihl trimmers and blowers for the crew. Everything was going smooth, mulched beds, sod laid perfect, even added some drip lines for the shrubs. But then the client changes scope last minute, wants extra retaining walls with boulder rock, adds $3k easy. I say yes to keep the relationship, but their check for the original bounced hard, left me out $4k and chasing collections. Guy in the Lawn Care Business Owners FB group said it happens with new builds, but damn, hurts when you're a one-truck operation. Now I'm second guessing not getting a deposit on changes. Anyone else been burned like this on a win that turned sour?

Hah, sounds like my buddy who got stiffed on a fence job, ended up trading the rocks for beer money.

Man, same crap here last summer, client pulled the bounce on a patio pour right after we finished the hardscape.

We call those 'landscaping lotteries' around the shop, win big then lose your shirt.

FML, I had a similar mess with a mulch delivery that tripled costs overnight, pissed off the whole crew for weeks.