What is a Change Orders?

A change order is a modification to a contract. It can be initiated by either you or your contractor, but it must be agreed to by both. You might decide to add more lights, for example, or a different type of fixture. Your electrician might run across unforeseen problems such as an existing circuit that must be replaced (when you assumed it could still be used). A change order usually means an increase in the price of the job, but this is not always the case. You might decide to eliminate some fixtures or to go for less-expensive ones, thus lowering your overall cost. The best change order, ideally, is no change order. Change orders can delay a job and might cause your electrician to have to undo work completed under your original specifications to accommodate the requested change. No plan is perfect. Remodeling is a fluid experience. As it progresses, you might see things you did not see during the planning stages. A skylight in the bedroom might become more desirable than the track lighting that just went in this morning. Don’t laugh, I had a client with more money than sense who did just that. Out came the new drywall and lights; in went new skylights and windows into newly finished rooms. At least he kept the carpenters employed and happy.