Change Orders Versus Claims
5 minutes
5 Questions
In construction project management, as framed by PMI-CP, change orders and claims are both ways to adjust contract scope, cost, or time, but they differ fundamentally in agreement, process, and risk. A change order is a formal, mutually agreed amendment to the contract, signed by the owner and the contractor, that modifies scope, price, schedule, or other terms. It comes from an orderly change management process. First, a change is identified and a change request or proposal is submitted. Next, its impacts on cost, schedule, quality, and risk are evaluated and negotiated. Finally, the approved change is documented and incorporated into the project baseline. Change orders reflect consensus and are the preferred, collaborative way to handle variations such as owner-directed design revisions, unforeseen site conditions accepted by both parties, or value engineering proposals. A claim, by contrast, arises when the parties cannot agree. It is a demand by one party, usually the contractor, for additional compensation, a time extension, or other relief that the other party disputes or has rejected. Claims often stem from disputed or constructive changes, differing site conditions, delays, disruptions, acceleration, or defective specifications. Because they involve disagreement, claims require rigorous analysis of both entitlement and quantum. They also demand strict compliance with contractual notice requirements and time bars, supported by robust documentation such as daily logs, correspondence, schedules, and cost records. The two are closely linked. An unresolved change request can escalate into a claim, and a claim that is settled through negotiation is typically converted into a change order. If settlement fails, the claim moves up the dispute resolution ladder, from negotiation to mediation, dispute review boards, arbitration, and ultimately litigation. For PMI-CP professionals, the goal is proactive management. This means clearly defined change procedures, prompt notice, accurate records, transparent communication, and early identification of potential disputes. Effective change control minimizes claims, protects relationships, preserves project value, and reduces the cost, delay, and adversarial impact of formal dispute resolution.
Change Orders Versus Claims: A Complete Guide for the PMI-CP Exam
Introduction
In construction and infrastructure projects, change is inevitable. Designs evolve, site conditions surprise everyone, owners alter their requirements, and external events disrupt schedules. How the project team handles these changes, and the disagreements that follow them, often decides whether a project ends in profit and partnership or in loss and litigation. Two mechanisms sit at the centre of this process: the change order and the claim. The PMI Construction Professional (PMI-CP) certification expects candidates to tell them apart clearly, to know when each applies, and to manage the path from one to the other. This guide covers what they are, why the distinction matters, how each works in practice, and how to answer exam questions on the topic.
Why the Distinction Between Change Orders and Claims Is Important
Understanding the difference matters for six reasons.
1. It separates agreement from dispute.
A change order records a change both parties have agreed on. A claim is an assertion by one party that the other has not accepted. Confusing the two can lead teams to treat a dispute as settled, or to escalate a matter that could have been resolved amicably.
2. It protects contractual and legal rights.
Most construction contracts contain strict notice provisions, time bars and procedures for both change orders and claims. If a contractor fails to give timely notice of a claim, it may lose its entitlement altogether, even if the underlying event was genuinely the owner's fault.
3. It controls cost and schedule.
Approved change orders adjust the contract sum and contract time, so they directly affect the cost baseline and the schedule baseline. Unresolved claims create contingent liabilities and uncertainty that must be tracked, reported and reserved for.
4. It preserves relationships.
Handling a change through a well-documented change order process is collaborative. Claims tend to be adversarial. A project manager who resolves issues early, ideally at change order level, preserves trust and avoids expensive dispute resolution.
5. It supports governance and auditability.
Owners, lenders and public agencies require a transparent record of why the contract price or duration changed. Clear change order and claims records provide that audit trail.
6. It is heavily tested.
Claims and dispute resolution is a core domain of the PMI-CP. Many scenario questions hinge on recognising whether a situation calls for a change order, a change request, a notice of claim, or an escalation step.
What Is a Change Order?
A change order is a written instrument, signed by the owner and the contractor (and often the architect or engineer), that authorises a change in the work. It typically adjusts one or more of the following:
• the contract sum (price)
• the contract time (duration or completion date)
• the scope of work
Key characteristics:
• It is bilateral: both parties agree on the change and its consequences.
• It formally modifies the contract. Once executed, it becomes part of the contract documents.
• It is usually preceded by a change request, request for proposal or proposed change order (PCO).
• It is prepared within the changes clause of the contract, which allows the owner to order changes within the general scope without invalidating the contract.
Related instruments you should know:
• Change request / proposed change order (PCO): a proposal or request to change the work. It is not yet approved.
• Construction change directive (CCD) or unilateral change order: a written order from the owner directing the contractor to proceed with a change before price and time are agreed. The contractor must perform the work, and the adjustment is settled later. If it cannot be agreed, it may become a claim.
• Field order or minor change in the work: a minor change with no effect on cost or time, often issued by the architect or engineer.
• Constructive change: a situation where the owner's conduct (for example, defective specifications, over-inspection, or an informal instruction to do extra work) effectively changes the work without a formal change order. Constructive changes very often become the basis of claims.
What Is a Claim?
A claim is a demand or assertion by one party, typically the contractor but sometimes the owner, seeking as a matter of right:
• an adjustment to the contract price
• an extension of contract time
• an interpretation of contract terms
• other relief arising under or relating to the contract
Key characteristics:
• It is unilateral: one party asserts entitlement and the other has not agreed.
• It signals a disagreement over entitlement, quantum (amount), or both.
• It must normally follow a formal notice procedure with strict time limits, such as notice within 21 or 28 days of becoming aware of the event under many standard forms, including FIDIC and AIA-style contracts.
• It must be substantiated with documentation such as daily logs, correspondence, schedules, cost records, photographs and expert analyses.
• If unresolved, it may escalate to a dispute and move through negotiation, mediation, dispute boards, arbitration or litigation.
Common sources of claims:
• Differing site conditions (unforeseen subsurface or latent conditions)
• Owner-caused delays and disruption
• Acceleration, whether directed or constructive
• Defective or incomplete design
• Changes in law or regulation
• Suspension or termination
• Disagreements over the value of a change order or CCD
• Owner claims against the contractor, such as liquidated damages or defective work
Change Orders Versus Claims: Side-by-Side Comparison
• Nature: A change order is an agreement. A claim is a demand or assertion.
• Parties' positions: A change order is bilateral and mutually accepted. A claim is unilateral, and the other party has not yet accepted it.
• Effect on contract: A change order formally modifies the contract. A claim does not change the contract until it is resolved.
• Timing: A change order is usually agreed before or during the changed work. A claim is often raised during or after the event, when agreement fails.
• Relationship tone: A change order is cooperative. A claim is potentially adversarial.
• Documentation: A change order needs a scope description, price, time adjustment and signatures. A claim needs a notice, a statement of entitlement, quantum, a delay analysis and supporting records.
• Resolution path: A change order is executed and incorporated into the baselines. A claim moves through negotiation, then ADR, then arbitration or litigation if needed.
• Risk: A change order carries low risk once signed. A claim carries uncertain outcome, cost and duration.
How It Works: The Lifecycle from Change to Claim
Step 1: A change event occurs. The event might be an owner instruction, a design revision, an unexpected site condition, or a regulatory change.
Step 2: Identify and notify. The contractor recognises a potential change and issues written notice promptly as required by the contract. Prompt notice protects rights and gives the owner the chance to mitigate. This applies whether the matter is likely to become a change order or a claim.
Step 3: Submit a change request or proposal. The contractor prepares a proposal describing the scope impact, cost, and schedule impact. A fragnet or time impact analysis is often used for the schedule.
Step 4: Review and negotiate. The owner and its consultants review the proposal. Several outcomes are possible:
• Agreement: a change order is executed, and the cost and schedule baselines are updated through integrated change control.
• Directed to proceed without agreement: a CCD or unilateral change order is issued, and the work proceeds with pricing to follow.
• Rejection or partial agreement: the contractor may pursue the unresolved portion as a claim.
Step 5: File a formal claim if agreement fails. The contractor submits a formal claim within contractual time limits. It includes the contractual basis for entitlement, the factual narrative, causation, quantum and time impact.
Step 6: Evaluate the claim. The owner, engineer or contract administrator evaluates entitlement first (is there a contractual right?) and then quantum (how much time and money?). A determination is issued.
Step 7: Escalate through dispute resolution. If the determination is not accepted, the matter becomes a dispute and follows the contract's dispute resolution ladder. This usually runs from negotiation to mediation to a dispute review board or adjudication, and then to arbitration or litigation.
Step 8: Close out. A resolved claim is usually formalised through a change order or settlement agreement, and the baselines and records are updated.
Key principle: Many claims begin as unresolved change orders. A good project manager aims to resolve issues at the lowest, earliest and least adversarial level.
Best Practices for Managing Change Orders and Claims
• Read and understand the changes, notice, differing site conditions, and dispute resolution clauses at the start of the project.
• Establish a clear change management plan and change log.
• Give timely written notice. Verbal notice is rarely sufficient.
• Maintain contemporaneous records such as daily reports, photos, meeting minutes, RFIs and cost codes for extra work.
• Use schedule analysis methods (time impact analysis, windows analysis) to show delay causation.
• Separate entitlement from quantum when evaluating or preparing claims.
• Price changes promptly to avoid accumulating unresolved items.
• Prefer negotiation and collaborative resolution before formal escalation.
• Watch for constructive changes and treat them formally.
• Track cumulative impact: many small changes can cause disruption beyond their individual value.
• Keep the owner, stakeholders and the risk register informed of pending changes and claims.
Exam Tips: Answering Questions on Change Orders Versus Claims
1. Look for the word that signals agreement or disagreement. If both parties have agreed on scope, cost and time, the answer is a change order. If one party asserts a right the other rejects or has not accepted, it is a claim.
2. Notice comes first. In scenario questions where a contractor encounters a changed condition or owner-caused delay, the best first action is usually to provide written notice per the contract, not to stop work, file a lawsuit or simply absorb the cost.
3. Keep working unless the contract says otherwise. Under most contracts, the contractor must continue performing, including work under a CCD, while disputes are resolved. Answers suggesting the contractor stop work because of a disagreement are usually wrong.
4. Choose the least adversarial resolution step. When asked what to do next in a dispute, pick negotiation before mediation, mediation before arbitration, and arbitration before litigation, unless the scenario states that earlier steps have already failed.
5. Consult the contract. Many correct answers involve reviewing the contract terms or following the contract's change or claims procedure. PMI favours process-based, documented actions.
6. Recognise constructive changes. If an owner's representative verbally instructs extra work, or a specification is defective and causes extra effort, think constructive change. The appropriate response is notice and documentation, leading to a change order request or claim.
7. Distinguish change requests from change orders. A change request is a proposal and has not been approved. A change order is the approved, executed modification. Exam options often try to confuse these two.
8. Remember integrated change control. Approved change orders must update the scope, cost and schedule baselines and related documents. Unapproved claims are tracked as risks or contingent liabilities, not built into baselines.
9. Entitlement before quantum. If asked how a claim should be evaluated, the first step is establishing contractual entitlement and causation, followed by calculating time and cost.
10. Documentation wins claims. Choose answers that emphasise contemporaneous records, schedule analysis and substantiation over answers relying on opinion or after-the-fact reconstruction.
11. Watch for time bars. If a scenario mentions that the contractor waited months to raise an issue, consider that the claim may be barred or weakened. The lesson is prompt notice.
12. Owners can claim too. Do not assume claims always come from contractors. Owners may claim liquidated damages, back-charges for defective work, or costs from contractor delay.
13. Prefer prevention. Questions about reducing claims usually point to clear scope definition, good contract drafting, risk allocation, partnering, early warning mechanisms and proactive change management.
Sample Exam-Style Scenarios
Scenario 1: During excavation, the contractor encounters rock not shown in the geotechnical report. What should the contractor do first?
Best answer: Promptly notify the owner in writing per the differing site conditions clause and document the conditions. Do not disturb them further than necessary until the owner can inspect.
Scenario 2: The owner and contractor agree to add a mezzanine level, with an agreed price increase and a 15-day extension, and both sign the document. What is this?
Best answer: A change order.
Scenario 3: The owner directs the contractor to install upgraded finishes immediately, but the parties cannot agree on price. What instrument is used?
Best answer: A construction change directive (unilateral change order). The contractor proceeds and the adjustment is determined later, potentially through a claim.
Scenario 4: The contractor submitted a request for a time extension, and the owner rejected it. The contractor believes it is entitled. What is the next step?
Best answer: Submit a formal claim within the contractual timeframe, with substantiation, then follow the dispute resolution process beginning with negotiation.
Scenario 5: A site inspector repeatedly requires work beyond specification requirements, and the contractor complies without objection. What concept applies?
Best answer: Constructive change. The contractor should have given notice and documented the extra work to preserve its right to a change order or claim.
Summary
A change order is an agreed, bilateral modification of the contract that adjusts scope, price or time. A claim is a unilateral demand for relief that the other party has not accepted. Change orders are the cooperative path, and claims arise when cooperation fails or entitlement is disputed. Success on the PMI-CP exam and on real projects depends on four habits: give timely notice, follow the contract, document thoroughly, and resolve issues at the earliest and least adversarial level. Master the distinction, the lifecycle and the escalation ladder, and you will be ready for any question on this topic.
In construction and infrastructure projects, change is inevitable. Designs evolve, site conditions surprise everyone, owners alter their requirements, and external events disrupt schedules. How the project team handles these changes, and the disagreements that follow them, often decides whether a project ends in profit and partnership or in loss and litigation. Two mechanisms sit at the centre of this process: the change order and the claim. The PMI Construction Professional (PMI-CP) certification expects candidates to tell them apart clearly, to know when each applies, and to manage the path from one to the other. This guide covers what they are, why the distinction matters, how each works in practice, and how to answer exam questions on the topic.
Why the Distinction Between Change Orders and Claims Is Important
Understanding the difference matters for six reasons.
1. It separates agreement from dispute.
A change order records a change both parties have agreed on. A claim is an assertion by one party that the other has not accepted. Confusing the two can lead teams to treat a dispute as settled, or to escalate a matter that could have been resolved amicably.
2. It protects contractual and legal rights.
Most construction contracts contain strict notice provisions, time bars and procedures for both change orders and claims. If a contractor fails to give timely notice of a claim, it may lose its entitlement altogether, even if the underlying event was genuinely the owner's fault.
3. It controls cost and schedule.
Approved change orders adjust the contract sum and contract time, so they directly affect the cost baseline and the schedule baseline. Unresolved claims create contingent liabilities and uncertainty that must be tracked, reported and reserved for.
4. It preserves relationships.
Handling a change through a well-documented change order process is collaborative. Claims tend to be adversarial. A project manager who resolves issues early, ideally at change order level, preserves trust and avoids expensive dispute resolution.
5. It supports governance and auditability.
Owners, lenders and public agencies require a transparent record of why the contract price or duration changed. Clear change order and claims records provide that audit trail.
6. It is heavily tested.
Claims and dispute resolution is a core domain of the PMI-CP. Many scenario questions hinge on recognising whether a situation calls for a change order, a change request, a notice of claim, or an escalation step.
What Is a Change Order?
A change order is a written instrument, signed by the owner and the contractor (and often the architect or engineer), that authorises a change in the work. It typically adjusts one or more of the following:
• the contract sum (price)
• the contract time (duration or completion date)
• the scope of work
Key characteristics:
• It is bilateral: both parties agree on the change and its consequences.
• It formally modifies the contract. Once executed, it becomes part of the contract documents.
• It is usually preceded by a change request, request for proposal or proposed change order (PCO).
• It is prepared within the changes clause of the contract, which allows the owner to order changes within the general scope without invalidating the contract.
Related instruments you should know:
• Change request / proposed change order (PCO): a proposal or request to change the work. It is not yet approved.
• Construction change directive (CCD) or unilateral change order: a written order from the owner directing the contractor to proceed with a change before price and time are agreed. The contractor must perform the work, and the adjustment is settled later. If it cannot be agreed, it may become a claim.
• Field order or minor change in the work: a minor change with no effect on cost or time, often issued by the architect or engineer.
• Constructive change: a situation where the owner's conduct (for example, defective specifications, over-inspection, or an informal instruction to do extra work) effectively changes the work without a formal change order. Constructive changes very often become the basis of claims.
What Is a Claim?
A claim is a demand or assertion by one party, typically the contractor but sometimes the owner, seeking as a matter of right:
• an adjustment to the contract price
• an extension of contract time
• an interpretation of contract terms
• other relief arising under or relating to the contract
Key characteristics:
• It is unilateral: one party asserts entitlement and the other has not agreed.
• It signals a disagreement over entitlement, quantum (amount), or both.
• It must normally follow a formal notice procedure with strict time limits, such as notice within 21 or 28 days of becoming aware of the event under many standard forms, including FIDIC and AIA-style contracts.
• It must be substantiated with documentation such as daily logs, correspondence, schedules, cost records, photographs and expert analyses.
• If unresolved, it may escalate to a dispute and move through negotiation, mediation, dispute boards, arbitration or litigation.
Common sources of claims:
• Differing site conditions (unforeseen subsurface or latent conditions)
• Owner-caused delays and disruption
• Acceleration, whether directed or constructive
• Defective or incomplete design
• Changes in law or regulation
• Suspension or termination
• Disagreements over the value of a change order or CCD
• Owner claims against the contractor, such as liquidated damages or defective work
Change Orders Versus Claims: Side-by-Side Comparison
• Nature: A change order is an agreement. A claim is a demand or assertion.
• Parties' positions: A change order is bilateral and mutually accepted. A claim is unilateral, and the other party has not yet accepted it.
• Effect on contract: A change order formally modifies the contract. A claim does not change the contract until it is resolved.
• Timing: A change order is usually agreed before or during the changed work. A claim is often raised during or after the event, when agreement fails.
• Relationship tone: A change order is cooperative. A claim is potentially adversarial.
• Documentation: A change order needs a scope description, price, time adjustment and signatures. A claim needs a notice, a statement of entitlement, quantum, a delay analysis and supporting records.
• Resolution path: A change order is executed and incorporated into the baselines. A claim moves through negotiation, then ADR, then arbitration or litigation if needed.
• Risk: A change order carries low risk once signed. A claim carries uncertain outcome, cost and duration.
How It Works: The Lifecycle from Change to Claim
Step 1: A change event occurs. The event might be an owner instruction, a design revision, an unexpected site condition, or a regulatory change.
Step 2: Identify and notify. The contractor recognises a potential change and issues written notice promptly as required by the contract. Prompt notice protects rights and gives the owner the chance to mitigate. This applies whether the matter is likely to become a change order or a claim.
Step 3: Submit a change request or proposal. The contractor prepares a proposal describing the scope impact, cost, and schedule impact. A fragnet or time impact analysis is often used for the schedule.
Step 4: Review and negotiate. The owner and its consultants review the proposal. Several outcomes are possible:
• Agreement: a change order is executed, and the cost and schedule baselines are updated through integrated change control.
• Directed to proceed without agreement: a CCD or unilateral change order is issued, and the work proceeds with pricing to follow.
• Rejection or partial agreement: the contractor may pursue the unresolved portion as a claim.
Step 5: File a formal claim if agreement fails. The contractor submits a formal claim within contractual time limits. It includes the contractual basis for entitlement, the factual narrative, causation, quantum and time impact.
Step 6: Evaluate the claim. The owner, engineer or contract administrator evaluates entitlement first (is there a contractual right?) and then quantum (how much time and money?). A determination is issued.
Step 7: Escalate through dispute resolution. If the determination is not accepted, the matter becomes a dispute and follows the contract's dispute resolution ladder. This usually runs from negotiation to mediation to a dispute review board or adjudication, and then to arbitration or litigation.
Step 8: Close out. A resolved claim is usually formalised through a change order or settlement agreement, and the baselines and records are updated.
Key principle: Many claims begin as unresolved change orders. A good project manager aims to resolve issues at the lowest, earliest and least adversarial level.
Best Practices for Managing Change Orders and Claims
• Read and understand the changes, notice, differing site conditions, and dispute resolution clauses at the start of the project.
• Establish a clear change management plan and change log.
• Give timely written notice. Verbal notice is rarely sufficient.
• Maintain contemporaneous records such as daily reports, photos, meeting minutes, RFIs and cost codes for extra work.
• Use schedule analysis methods (time impact analysis, windows analysis) to show delay causation.
• Separate entitlement from quantum when evaluating or preparing claims.
• Price changes promptly to avoid accumulating unresolved items.
• Prefer negotiation and collaborative resolution before formal escalation.
• Watch for constructive changes and treat them formally.
• Track cumulative impact: many small changes can cause disruption beyond their individual value.
• Keep the owner, stakeholders and the risk register informed of pending changes and claims.
Exam Tips: Answering Questions on Change Orders Versus Claims
1. Look for the word that signals agreement or disagreement. If both parties have agreed on scope, cost and time, the answer is a change order. If one party asserts a right the other rejects or has not accepted, it is a claim.
2. Notice comes first. In scenario questions where a contractor encounters a changed condition or owner-caused delay, the best first action is usually to provide written notice per the contract, not to stop work, file a lawsuit or simply absorb the cost.
3. Keep working unless the contract says otherwise. Under most contracts, the contractor must continue performing, including work under a CCD, while disputes are resolved. Answers suggesting the contractor stop work because of a disagreement are usually wrong.
4. Choose the least adversarial resolution step. When asked what to do next in a dispute, pick negotiation before mediation, mediation before arbitration, and arbitration before litigation, unless the scenario states that earlier steps have already failed.
5. Consult the contract. Many correct answers involve reviewing the contract terms or following the contract's change or claims procedure. PMI favours process-based, documented actions.
6. Recognise constructive changes. If an owner's representative verbally instructs extra work, or a specification is defective and causes extra effort, think constructive change. The appropriate response is notice and documentation, leading to a change order request or claim.
7. Distinguish change requests from change orders. A change request is a proposal and has not been approved. A change order is the approved, executed modification. Exam options often try to confuse these two.
8. Remember integrated change control. Approved change orders must update the scope, cost and schedule baselines and related documents. Unapproved claims are tracked as risks or contingent liabilities, not built into baselines.
9. Entitlement before quantum. If asked how a claim should be evaluated, the first step is establishing contractual entitlement and causation, followed by calculating time and cost.
10. Documentation wins claims. Choose answers that emphasise contemporaneous records, schedule analysis and substantiation over answers relying on opinion or after-the-fact reconstruction.
11. Watch for time bars. If a scenario mentions that the contractor waited months to raise an issue, consider that the claim may be barred or weakened. The lesson is prompt notice.
12. Owners can claim too. Do not assume claims always come from contractors. Owners may claim liquidated damages, back-charges for defective work, or costs from contractor delay.
13. Prefer prevention. Questions about reducing claims usually point to clear scope definition, good contract drafting, risk allocation, partnering, early warning mechanisms and proactive change management.
Sample Exam-Style Scenarios
Scenario 1: During excavation, the contractor encounters rock not shown in the geotechnical report. What should the contractor do first?
Best answer: Promptly notify the owner in writing per the differing site conditions clause and document the conditions. Do not disturb them further than necessary until the owner can inspect.
Scenario 2: The owner and contractor agree to add a mezzanine level, with an agreed price increase and a 15-day extension, and both sign the document. What is this?
Best answer: A change order.
Scenario 3: The owner directs the contractor to install upgraded finishes immediately, but the parties cannot agree on price. What instrument is used?
Best answer: A construction change directive (unilateral change order). The contractor proceeds and the adjustment is determined later, potentially through a claim.
Scenario 4: The contractor submitted a request for a time extension, and the owner rejected it. The contractor believes it is entitled. What is the next step?
Best answer: Submit a formal claim within the contractual timeframe, with substantiation, then follow the dispute resolution process beginning with negotiation.
Scenario 5: A site inspector repeatedly requires work beyond specification requirements, and the contractor complies without objection. What concept applies?
Best answer: Constructive change. The contractor should have given notice and documented the extra work to preserve its right to a change order or claim.
Summary
A change order is an agreed, bilateral modification of the contract that adjusts scope, price or time. A claim is a unilateral demand for relief that the other party has not accepted. Change orders are the cooperative path, and claims arise when cooperation fails or entitlement is disputed. Success on the PMI-CP exam and on real projects depends on four habits: give timely notice, follow the contract, document thoroughly, and resolve issues at the earliest and least adversarial level. Master the distinction, the lifecycle and the escalation ladder, and you will be ready for any question on this topic.
Test mode:
PMI-CP - Change Orders Versus Claims Example Questions
Test your knowledge of Change Orders Versus Claims
Question 1
Under a lump-sum contract, the contractor's late steel erection forced the owner to pay a separate fit-out contractor for standby time. The owner's project manager wants to recover this cost. The contractor denies responsibility and blames late design approvals. The contract's claims clause applies to either party and requires written notice with supporting records. Which approach BEST addresses the owner's recovery of the standby cost?
Question 2
In construction contract administration, which of the following best describes a construction change directive, also known as a unilateral change order?
Question 3
Under a lump-sum contract, a contractor's RFI asked how to route ductwork around a beam. The designer's reply showed a second duct run. The contractor now submits a change order request priced at the cost of that extra run. The owner's representative says the run was already shown in the bid-stage documents and wants a response this week. The contract's changes clause applies only to work beyond the contract documents. What should the project manager do FIRST?
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More Change Orders Versus Claims questions
14 questions (total)
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