How a change order works, and what to look for before you sign one.
A change order is the document that adds work to a contract, or removes work from it, after the contract has been signed. This guide explains what one should contain, when you should expect to see one, and how we manage change orders on our own projects.
The definition of a change order
Your contract describes a scope of work at a price. A change order amends both. It names what’s being added or removed, what that does to the price, and what it does to the schedule, and it’s signed by you before the work happens.
A well-managed change order is always preceded by a clear conversation, so the document confirms a decision you have already discussed.
The three reasons a change order appears
Nearly every change order on a residential project arises for one of three reasons, and it’s helpful to distinguish between them.
On a remodel, the second reason is the one to plan for. We price any additional work in writing for your approval before we continue.
The contents of a change order
If a change order doesn’t answer all five of these, ask for one that does before you sign it.
When a change also requires the city’s approval
A change order is an agreement between you and your contractor. If the change alters what was permitted, the city is a third party to it.
Moving a bearing wall, changing the footprint, adding or relocating plumbing fixtures, or altering the structure will usually mean a revision to the permitted drawings rather than just a signature on a change order. That takes review time, and the review time is part of the schedule impact your change order should be telling you about.
Reviewing a change order
These points are straightforward, and none of them require construction experience.
What to expect from us
When something is found behind a wall, you’ll hear about it that day, typically with photographs, before any work is enclosed.
You’ll see the change in writing, with the cost and the schedule effect, and you’ll approve it before the work starts. Your project has its own client portal showing the schedule along with photographs and notes from each day on site, so a complete record of every change is always available to you.
When comparing construction companies, it’s worth asking how each one handles conditions discovered behind a wall and how it addresses an omission in its own pricing.
We walk the home with you before anything is estimated.
Share the address and a brief description of your project, and we’ll walk the home with you and review any potential conditions before you make a commitment.
Codes and city procedures change, and the issuing office is always the authoritative source.