Change orders are the part of a construction project owners dread, because they usually mean the price or the schedule is moving. They are not always avoidable, but most of them trace back to a handful of causes, and a good process keeps them rare. Here is what drives them and how to keep them down.
What a change order is
A change order is a formal, documented change to the agreed scope, price, or schedule after the contract is signed. It can add work, remove it, or adjust the timeline. The point of documenting it is that everyone agrees to the change and its cost before the work proceeds.
Why they happen
The common causes:
- Incomplete or unclear drawings. If the plans do not fully account for something, it surfaces during construction as a change.
- Hidden conditions. Especially in renovations and older buildings, what is behind a wall or above a ceiling is not always what the drawings assumed.
- Owner-requested changes. Sometimes you decide mid-project to upgrade a finish or move a wall. That is a legitimate change, just one to budget for.
- Code or inspection requirements. An item flagged during permitting or inspection can require added work.
How to keep them down
Thorough pre-construction is the biggest lever: catching issues on paper before they become field problems. Clear, complete drawings reduce surprises. On renovations, expecting some unknowns and building a contingency into the budget is realistic. And a contractor who communicates early, when a potential change first appears rather than after the fact, gives you time to decide instead of being surprised by an invoice.
The right contractor makes the difference
Change orders handled well are transparent and agreed before the work happens. Brothers B&B has worked as a commercial general contractor across the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex for over 20 years, including Fort Worth, and we handle the plan review and coordination that keeps surprises to a minimum. For more on the role, see what a commercial general contractor actually does. Get in touch or call (972) 264-1806.