Arash Safavi
August 2026
What Causes Construction Change Orders
Few phrases make homeowners more nervous than “change order.”
The immediate assumption is usually that something has gone wrong.
But change orders are not all the same.
Some are unavoidable. Some result from homeowner decisions. Others can be significantly reduced through better planning.
Understanding the difference is essential.
A change order formally modifies the original construction scope, cost, schedule, or a combination of the three.
A change might involve something as simple as selecting a different fixture or something much more substantial, such as modifying a structural condition.
The important question isn’t simply whether a project has change orders.
It’s why they happened.
One of the most common causes is also the simplest. The homeowner changes something.
Perhaps a different stone is selected, a room layout changes, or additional millwork is added.
There’s nothing inherently wrong with making changes.
The important part is understanding the cost and schedule implications before approving them.
Missing information creates assumptions.
And assumptions made during pricing may eventually conflict with what the design team intended.
Detailed construction documentation can substantially reduce this type of change.
Some conditions cannot be completely understood until construction begins.
Examples can include concealed structural conditions, soil issues, underground services, or conditions discovered during demolition.
Good due diligence reduces these risks, but it cannot always eliminate them.
Municipal reviews, inspections, and other regulatory requirements can sometimes introduce additional work.
Understanding local requirements early helps reduce this risk.
A seemingly small decision can affect multiple trades.
A plumbing fixture may affect rough-ins.
A lighting selection may affect electrical requirements.
A flooring change may affect elevations and transitions.
Making selections early gives the project team time to coordinate those decisions properly.
Generally, changes become more expensive the later they happen.
Moving something on a drawing may require a few hours of design work.
Moving the same thing after walls, plumbing, electrical, and finishes have been installed can affect several trades.
The cost of a decision often increases as construction progresses.
No.
A homeowner may intentionally decide that an upgrade provides enough value to justify the additional investment.
The issue is not change itself.
The issue is unexpected change without clear information.
Construction Management creates opportunities to identify potential changes earlier through:
The objective isn’t to promise a project with zero changes.
It’s to reduce preventable ones and manage necessary changes transparently.
A formal modification to the original scope, price, schedule, or other contractual project requirements.
No. Some represent intentional improvements or necessary responses to unforeseen conditions.
Common causes include client changes, incomplete documentation, unforeseen conditions, regulatory requirements, and late selections.
Not entirely, but detailed planning and early decision-making can reduce preventable changes.
Changes made after related work has already been purchased, fabricated, installed, or completed can be particularly expensive.
Through early coordination, budgeting, constructability reviews, procurement planning, and ongoing communication.
Change is part of construction.
Surprise doesn’t have to be.
At Pionova, our focus is on identifying potential issues early and giving homeowners the information they need to make decisions before those decisions become unnecessarily expensive.