Project Change Order Services That Protect Your Contract Margin

We price change orders using the same methodology as original bid estimating, measured quantities from the change directive or architect's supplemental instruction, current material pricing from supplier quotes or cost databases, realistic labor hours based on trade productivity standards, applicable equipment costs, and markup applied at the rates your contract permits. Every line item is supported by a calculation or reference source, so the owner's representative can verify the basis for each cost without requesting additional backup. 

Yes. Owner rejection of a change order is often the starting point for a more detailed documentation effort rather than an outcome. When a legitimate change has been rejected or significantly reduced, we prepare a comprehensive dispute package, detailed cost substantiation, contract entitlement argument referencing specific contract clause language, schedule impact analysis, and comparable cost data that gives your team a well-documented negotiation position to present in the next owner meeting or formal dispute resolution proceeding. 

We review the claimed change against the original subcontract scope of work, the applicable specification sections, the construction drawings, and the RFI and submittal logs to determine whether the work is genuinely outside the original subcontract. For changes that pass the entitlement review, we then verify that quantities are accurately measured, labor hours reflect trade productivity standards, material pricing aligns with current market rates, and markup is applied within the limits your prime contract and subcontract terms permit.

A schedule impact analysis quantifies the delay caused by a change order in calendar days and demonstrates how that delay affects the project's critical path and completion date. You need one whenever a change extends the duration of a critical path activity, causes trade stacking or disruption to following work, or when your contract entitles you to a time extension and associated delay costs, extended general conditions, escalation, and extended overhead, in addition to the direct cost of the changed work.

Yes. We establish and maintain the complete change order log for active commercial projects, tracking every potential change item from initial identification through owner approval and subcontractor buyout. Each item in the log carries a current status, responsible party, dollar value, schedule impact flag, and target resolution date. We produce regular log status reports that your project management team can use for owner meetings, cost reporting, and cash flow forecasting without spending hours reformatting data from multiple sources.