Situations in Which You Might Submit a Project Change Request: Info from Home Builders in Pennsylvania

Change orders can be a headache in complex projects, but there are circumstances in which they are necessary, or can at least be managed well. The reasons for submitting a change request can vary—many times they happen due to completely unforeseen circumstances arising during the project.

Here are a few examples from home builders in Pennsylvania of situations that could cause a property owner to submit a change request in a construction project.

Errors or omissions in drawings

Perhaps the most common reason why property owners submit change order requests is that they come across errors or omissions in the scope of the project. Sometimes the designer will provide inadequate details or misrepresent certain elements of a project. In other circumstances, change order requests could come as a result of the designer simply avoiding providing the client with a full set of completed, detailed drawings.

These errors or omissions don’t necessarily have to do with the drawings themselves, either. Sometimes there are inaccurate details or misrepresentations about the environment in which the project is being built.

Necessary design changes

Sometimes a contractor will begin work on construction without having a complete scope of work or completely finalized drawings. This is a common error in design-build projects, when the same company is handling both the design and construction work and there is a greater focus on efficiency and getting the job done quickly.

Design changes can lead to a brief stoppage in work, with those stoppages becoming longer for major changes, but it is often simply a part of the design-build process.

Unforeseen conditions or circumstances

There are a lot of unforeseen conditions that can lead to certain elements of a project needing to be changed. Soil problems are one example of an unforeseen circumstance. Soil studies might have led you to expect certain conditions to exist at the construction site, but the soil profile can vary as you excavate more, which can pose some new construction challenges.

In some circumstances, drawings might indicate you need a certain amount of material to complete part of a project, but the actual amount turns out to be much more. This will also lead to you needing to submit a change order.

Inaccuracies

There are a lot of examples of inaccurate specifications that could result in you needing to submit a change order. Perhaps the drawing asked for one product, but the specifications submitted call for a different version of that product. This is especially common in construction projects when drawings are sent to different consultants, all of whom are acting on their own. Usually you are able to avoid this type of issue when working with a design-build construction firm and have a much more streamlined flow of communication.

These are just a few examples of some of the scenarios in which you might find it necessary to submit a change order. For more information about how to handle these scenarios, contact the experienced team of home builders in Pennsylvania at WSL Incorporated.