Making Change Orders

Change is inevitable in everyday life. It is also (almost) inevitable in every project. Let’s face it, people change, ideas change, things change. It is normal for things to change throughout your renovation whether it’s items being added, removed or simply decision are made to install different finishes. These changes are often not foreseen in the initial contract and may not reflect the initial contract PRICE and may cause Delays in Schedule. Which brings us to the next topic related to the renovation and construction process.

Change Orders:

• Price: If there are changes to be made to the scope of work, then a price should be issued in writing and agreed upon before proceeding. This will eliminate any surprises when it comes to billing. No change, big or small, should move forward without a full understanding from all parties as to what all endured costs may be. The expectations related to change orders are often different between the homeowner and the contractor, so it is important that everyone becomes aligned.
• Change in Schedule: If there are changes made to the scope of work then it is important to know that this may cause delays in the schedule. Your contractor should do everything that they can to keep the project moving forward without delays, but this is sometimes not realistic. Any change in schedule should also be documented as a part of the change order
• For example: They may have plumbers scheduled for Tuesday and on Monday it may be decided that a bigger custom shower should be framed. The contractor will then have to try to reschedule the plumbers for Wednesday but they may not be available to get back into the project until the following Monday. When a change order is issued, the amount of time affected on the schedule will also be documented when the change order is presented.

Watch for next weeks topic related to city inspections! It’s important to know what you are in for 😉