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Three Easy Ways to Reduce Change Orders

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An unexpectedly high number of change orders on a construction project can quickly exhaust contingency funds, delay the schedule and increase project costs. Learn how to reduce change orders.

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An unexpectedly high number of change orders on a construction project can quickly exhaust contingency funds, delay the schedule and increase project costs.

Change isn’t always bad, but on a construction project, it usually isn’t good. Change orders can wreak havoc on a construction schedule and raise project costs beyond the allocated budget. According to the April 2006 research study “Comparative Analysis of Total Project Costs with Versus without a Construction Manager” prepared for the CMAA Research and Development Committee, change orders can account for as much as 28 percent of total project costs.