The 'One Small Change' Trap: Why It's Killing Your Website Budget (And How to Stop)

You think you're being efficient. Your developer thinks you're about to bankrupt the project. I'm going to tell you something my developers wish they could tell you directly.

That phrase—"Can we just make one small change?"—is not actually a small change. And your developer isn't being difficult when they flinch. Let me explain why, and more importantly, how to fix this pattern that's silently destroying your website projects.

The Real Story (This Happened Last Month)

A client came to me wanting a website redesign. Clear scope: 5 pages, new design system, modern UI, timeline of 6 weeks.

We started. Things were going great. On week 3, the client asked: "Can we just add a shopping cart feature? Just a small change."

A shopping cart is not a small change. It's literally a different project. But in the client's mind, they thought: "We're already building a website. How hard is it to add shopping?"

The project that was on track to finish in 6 weeks? Now it's 8 weeks. The budget that was locked in? Now it's 40% higher. The developer who was excited about the project? Now stressed and frustrated.

The Solution (It's Simple, But Requires Discipline)

Lock the scope early. Have a change request process. Prioritize ruthlessly. Build in a feedback phase at the end. Trust the process.