It's the term that many in the industry fear during a big project: "change order." Change orders are an inevitable part of the process. While most change orders are valid, they can wreak havoc on timelines and budgets. Although change orders may feel unavoidable, it's possible to minimize the number of unnecessary change orders that occur later on by addressing critical items at the beginning of the process.

Get a Clear Scope of Work:

Many change orders happen due to the ambiguous drawings or scope-of-work definitions, which leaves the specs up to the builder's interpretation and can result in costly mistakes. As part of our process, before kicking off a project's construction phase, our Talisen Project Manager reviews the project with our client to sync thoughts and ideas to ensure alignment. The RFI process is incredibly helpful in this case, and Talisen always aims to gain the most clarity possible on any questions or missing information we may have.

Establish a Change Order Process Early on:

Be specific on what constitutes a change order and who has the authority to approve the change order. Doing so will save time and costs by avoiding unauthorized or unnecessary change orders. Following our bid-buy-build model, at Talisen, we designate one person at the helm to ensure everything is clear.

Be Transparent Throughout the Project:

Lack of visibility into the project milestones, status, and potential roadblocks can lead to unnecessary costs and delays. At Talisen, we use the latest technology to create an environment of shared information to allow for seamless updates so that our team can address problems before they become change orders.

Get Clarity Before Performing Work:

Should anything arise during the project, get clarity and buy-in from stakeholders before moving forward. Holding weekly status meetings will help ensure everyone is aligned with where the project is, where it's going, and alignment on the steps and milestones to get there.

Stay on Top of Your Subs:

Ensure all teams follow the contract and the scope of work. Setting clear expectations of the scope and process will help manage their activities and improve transparency throughout the project.

At Talisen, we strive to meet and exceed our client's expectations and experience. While change orders are part of construction and build projects, our team continues to improve our processes to minimize change orders while staying in line with budget and deadlines. Utilizing project management software, fostering transparency and collaboration onsite, and sharing information in real-time are some of the key ways to reduce change orders and provide a better, more efficient process.