As an Owner, you know that with each construction project, change is inevitable. When scope, materials, or requirements shift, your budget and timeline are impacted. Managing any type of change during the lifetime of a construction project is important, but using trusted project management software can help your team pivot quickly and reduce costly delays. Here’s what you need to know about managing change orders within a construction project management solution:
Get Everything in Writing
Contracts are essential for aligning everyone on the project goals and processes. While detailed contracts aim to cover all bases, sometimes unexpected situations crop up and require changes. That’s where change orders come into play.
It’s not uncommon for disagreements between parties to occur over what warrants a change order. So, it’s important to include a clause in your contracts that clearly outlines how change orders will be managed to avoid misunderstandings down the line. Including this clause will help avoid any conflicts and keep your project running smoothly.
It should be understood by all project stakeholders that no additional or new work will be done until a change order is approved. Most change orders will impact your project budget, but even those that don’t should be well-documented to maintain project transparency.
Easy Change Order Management
Using project management software is the most efficient way to manage change orders in your construction program. When using the right project management software, decision-makers receive automatic notifications about potential changes, eliminating the delays caused by manual approval routing and tracking.
Once a change order is approved, your contractor will be immediately notified, allowing their crew to adapt and proceed without significant bottlenecks. This seamless process minimizes the impact on your schedule and budget.
Control Your Project Budget
As mentioned, one of the most common ways a change order affects a project is the cost. With the rising cost of materials, labor, and other expenses, managing change orders through construction project management software ensures that all stakeholders are immediately notified of budget implications.
Once approved, the change orders are directly linked to corresponding contracts and budgets, eliminating confusion and maintaining accurate financial tracking throughout your project’s lifecycle.
The Owner-focused Solution
Organized change order management is crucial for successful construction programs, and the right project management software, designed specifically for owners, can make all the difference.
Contact Projectmates to learn how our solution can streamline change order processes and keep your projects running smoothly.
