Navigating the Change Order Maze: Finding Clarity Before Costs Spiral
The Paper Trail That Trips Up Projects
Change orders are a normal part of construction — but when they start stacking up, confusion follows close behind.
What begins as a few small scope adjustments can quickly turn into a maze of paperwork, emails, and cost revisions that leave everyone asking the same question: What actually happened here?
For owners and developers, the problem isn’t just tracking the paperwork — it’s understanding which changes are legitimate, which are inflated, and which stem from coordination breakdowns that no one wants to own.
The Real Cost of Confusion
Once the change order count hits double or triple digits, costs don’t just add up — they multiply.
Trades begin working out of sequence.
Procurement timelines shift.
Field teams lose flow and productivity.
Budgets inflate as general conditions drag on.
Every extra week on the schedule compounds overhead, interest, and opportunity costs. And when documentation isn’t clear, blame replaces collaboration.
Finding Clarity in the Chaos
At GCM Group, our goal is to simplify. We help clients:
Trace each cost back to its trigger. We connect field changes to drawings, RFIs, and meeting notes to determine causation.
Quantify real impacts. We separate legitimate added scope from inefficiency or mismanagement.
Establish the true timeline. By aligning change orders with schedule impacts, we show when — and how — momentum slipped.
That process turns a mess of paper into a clear, defensible narrative that owners, contractors, and legal teams can rely on.
Lessons from the Field
Whether it’s a tenant improvement downtown or a large-scale lab expansion, the pattern is the same: most change order crises start small. A few missed decisions, a late drawing, a misunderstanding about scope — and before long, everyone’s pointing fingers.
In Boise right now, you can see both sides of that story. Projects that are thriving because of proactive coordination, and others struggling to stay aligned. It’s a reminder that clarity and accountability are the real drivers of project success.
Clarity Before Conflict
Every change order tells part of a story. The key is understanding the full picture before costs spiral and relationships strain.
If you’re managing a project where change orders are starting to stack up, don’t wait until it becomes a claim.
Bring in the experts who can help you navigate the maze with data, transparency, and practical insight.
👉 Contact: GlobalCostManagement.com
📧 Email: waltm@globalcostmanagement.com
