Avoiding Needless Change Orders for Industrial Construction Projects

While there are some cases where they’re necessary to account for changing circumstances within a given construction job, change orders are generally not especially desirable among industrial construction contractors and their clients. There are several reasons why change orders sometimes take place, some of which are unavoidable — but others of which you can easily steer clear of with the right preparation and assistance.

At Redi, we’re proud to offer a comprehensive range of industrial construction and related services, from site setup and excavation services to site cleanup, tear-down, heavy-haul trucking and numerous other areas in between. Our quality solutions help clients avoid many kinds of hiccups in their projects, often including change orders. What exactly are change orders, why do you usually want to avoid them, and what are some simple and organic methods of ensuring they typically won’t be necessary for your industrial construction project? Here’s a rundown.

What Are Change Orders?

As their name indicates, change orders refer to amendments of any kind to the scope or terms of a given construction contract. They’re usually issued by the contractor to the client, but they could also be issued by the client to the contractor in some cases. Many change orders are completed and processed with little difficulty or delay, but others can cause significant delays, disagreements and even litigation between contracting parties.

Now, as we noted above, some change orders are born out of pure necessity. For instance, if a contractor discovers that an underground stream is interfering with the progress of excavation work, a change order might be required to reroute the stream before digging can continue. In other cases, unanticipated hazardous waste might be discovered on a site, requiring its removal before construction can commence (or proceed further).

In such cases, both the client and the contractor are typically in agreement that a change order is required — but this isn’t always the case. Some change orders come about because of avoidable errors, omissions or oversights on the part of either or both contracting parties, and these tend to be the ones that cause major disagreements, delays and legal complications.

Luckily, however, this latter category of change order tends to be more avoidable in many cases. Our next several sections will look at how you can steer clear of such concerns by simply planning your job well and working with quality professionals like ours at Redi.

Collaborative Approach

Firstly, from a very broad standpoint, you can avoid the necessity for many change orders simply by taking a collaborative approach to your industrial construction project as a whole. This means involving all relevant parties early and often in the planning process, so that everyone has a clear understanding of what’s required from day one.

On the flip side, if every party in a given construction project works independently and then brings their results together at the eleventh hour, it’s more likely that oversights, errors and omissions will occur. These, in turn, often necessitate change orders down the line when they’re discovered.

At Redi, we always take a collaborative approach with our clients. We involve you early and often in the planning process, so that we can ensure your full understanding and buy-in for every aspect of the job. This helps avoid potential problems later on, and it also helps ensure you’ll be happy with our results.

Industry Expertise

Additionally, another great way to avoid many common change orders is to work with an industrial construction contractor who has significant experience and expertise in your particular industry.

For instance, if you’re in the food and beverage industry, you’ll want to make sure your industrial construction contractor has experience with such projects. This is important for several reasons. Firstly, they’ll be more likely to anticipate potential problems before they occur, which can help avoid the need for change orders later on. Secondly, they’ll likely have existing relationships with other professionals who can provide services or materials related to your project, which can help ensure a smooth process overall.

Prioritize the Details

While some of them may seem menial or unimportant at the time, attention to even the smallest details can make a big difference in whether or not change orders are required later on in an industrial construction project. For instance, if you’re working with an experienced and reputable industrial construction contractor, they should take care to fully understand your expectations for the finished product before work ever begins. This includes things like the materials you want used, the overall aesthetic you’re going for and any specific design elements that are important to you.

The more information your contractor has up front, the less likely it is that they’ll make errors or omissions that necessitate change orders later on. At Redi, we always take care to fully understand our clients’ expectations before work begins, so that we can avoid any potential problems down the line.

Keep an Open Line of Communication

Finally, one of the most important things you can do to avoid needless change orders is to keep an open line of communication with your industrial construction contractor throughout the duration of the project. This means being available to answer questions, provide clarification and offer feedback as needed.

It’s also important to keep in mind that change orders often come about as a result of poor communication. For instance, if you make a change to the scope of work after construction has already begun, it’s likely that a change order will be required. To avoid this, be sure to discuss any changes with your contractor before making them.

At Redi, we pride ourselves on our open lines of communication with our clients. We understand that construction projects can be complex and ever-changing, so we always make sure to stay in close contact with our clients throughout the duration of the job. For more on any of our industrial construction services, or to learn about how we can help you avoid needless change orders, speak to our team at your nearest convenience.