What is a Contractors Change Request

Contractors Change Request or Extra Work Order Forms

A contractors change request or extra work order form is a document used to write changes, alteration, additional work, designed to allow changes to a valid contract. Contractors have several standard forms for some types of changes in a valid contract. These are used to prevent customer disputes in any other form during and after the projects are finished. Some contractors’ think that this is just a bothersome documentation but that are situations where the change request forms can play a significant role.

In the construction business, it is important that all the construction forms to be used for contracting business are co-related and work together. These forms including the change order form must be provided for or be referenced to the original valid contract or agreement duly signed between the contractor and the client. Change request forms once signed by both parties, become part of the original contract. However, for it to be very effective, the original valid contract must contain a properly written change order provision.

A written change order provision in a valid contract is a precautionary provision when both parties agree to add, cancel, or alter work implied in the contract due to unexpected circumstances or conditions or uncovered conditions or problems during construction. With this provision built into the contract, it will protect contractors from a potentially costly unexpected situation.

A typical example would be a job to replace the wood siding of a house. When the contractor starts to tear off the siding, he immediately notice that the sheathing underneath is rotted and needs to be replaced for the work to be done.
The nice fellow owner will see this and would certainly pay the extra money you need to replace the sheathing, understanding that this was not charged in the original valid contract.

However, without a properly written change order provision in your contract, the owner might not agree to pay the additional cost and insist on the original provisions of the contract. This would mean you have to complete the project with no increase in the price and shoulder the re-sheathing.

Disputes may arise from this situation. The contractor may argue human error on inspection and could not see the sheathing damage until the wall was opened. But the owner on the other hand, can also maintain its stand by relying on the contractor’s expertise. Being the expert in his field, he should have foreseen the existence of more damage items under the siding.

The owner, having the upper hand in this dispute, can always assert that he/she can only pay the budget amount for the contract and for not continuing work as agreed upon, he/she can sue the contractor for damages.

The only two choices you have

1. Shoulder the extra costs to replace the dry rotted sheathing to finish the job correctly.

2. Get sued for damages and have a costly lawsuit due to a poorly written contract that provides you with impossible chances of winning.

Based on the above scenario, construction forms and valid contracts basically need these seemingly small details and change order provisions that can make the difference. It can ensure a profitable business, but without it, it can cost you money.

Three major impacts of contractors change requests on the total contract price

1. Increase in contract price due to change request. The scenario given above is a typical example where the extra work can be documented as a change request order. This is a type of change request order that can change the contract price.

2. Decrease in contract price due to change request. One example where a change request order can decrease a contract price would be during a hardwood flooring job. When a client or customer decides to cut back on the square footage to be installed, this would shorten the job and cut on the materials to be used. There will be a decrease in price.

3. Same contract price with change request. A simple example of a change request order that keeps the contract price the same is when a client or customer changes the color of his/her paint job. Without entailing additional; cost, paints can be swap with another color as long as it is not disturbed. But if the paint is of customized color, and has already been purchased, this would entail additional cost.

The contractors change request form can have several types which are designed by contractors according to classifications. It is impossible to have one type of contractors change request form to fit all conditions.