Change Orders: The Spice of Life (and the Bane of Budget Estimates) 

Estimated read time 2 min read

We all love a delicious pizza piled high with our favourite toppings. But let’s be honest: Sometimes, you go a little overboard, ending up with a culinary creation that’s more “leaning tower of Pisa” than a “mouthwatering masterpiece.” And, there you go—the Change Orders flavour comes.

Change orders in infrastructure projects can be eerily similar to that over-the-top pizza. While a few well-considered changes can enhance the project (think adding pepperoni for a savoury kick!), an avalanche of them can quickly derail your budget and leave you with a project that’s more complex, expensive, and frankly, a bit of a mess.

Change Orders

Here’s the not-so-fun truth: According to a study by the Construction Industry Institute, change orders account for an average of 20% of project costs. That’s a significant chunk of change that could be better spent elsewhere!

So, how do we keep the “flavour” of change orders from turning our projects into financial nightmares?

  • Clear communication: Ensure everyone involved understands the project scope, limitations, and potential impact of changes.
  • Formal change order process: Implement a structured system for requesting, reviewing, and approving changes, considering their cost and schedule implications.
  • Transparency and collaboration: Foster open stakeholder communication to identify potential changes early and minimise surprises.

By managing change orders effectively, we can ensure our projects stay on track within budget and avoid ending up with the construction equivalent of a pineapple and anchovies pizza.

Now, share your “change order” horror stories (or triumphs!) in the comments! What are some of the most unexpected or exciting changes you’ve encountered in your infrastructure projects?

#Infrastructure #CostManagement #ProjectManagement #ChangeOrders #LinkedIn #CostPlanning #Estimating #CivilEngineering #CivilsBites

You May Also Like

More From Author

+ There are no comments

Add yours

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.