Dealing with Project Changes

Construction projects rarely proceed exactly as documented. New site conditions, design clarifications, value engineering, coordination conflicts between trades, and owner-driven scope adjustments all require ongoing change management during construction administration. When handled well, change is properly documented through the correct contractual instrument, cost and schedule impacts are clearly defined, and the project record remains intact. When handled poorly, it leads to disputes, delay, errors and omissions exposure, and breakdowns in communication across the project team.

This session provides a practical framework for managing construction change through contract documentation and field administration. It examines how contract documents structure authority and responsibility, how the standard of care applies to design professionals, and how change is properly executed through ASIs, Change Orders, and Construction Change Directives. The session also explores real-world resolution of system conflicts and nonconforming work, along with the tracking discipline required to maintain a complete and defensible contract record throughout construction.

Key Topics Discussed

• Contract documents and role in defining scope and performance
• Standard of care and errors & omissions exposure for design professionals
• ASI (AIA G710) application and limits
• Change Orders (AIA G701-2017) and cost/time adjustments
• Construction Change Directives (CCD) and unpriced changes
• RFI-driven change workflows and contractor coordination
• Cost breakdowns, schedule impacts, and proposal documentation
• System conflicts and trade coordination issues
• Conflict resolution approaches (confront, compromise, smooth, force, avoid)
• Nonconforming work assessment and decision pathways
• Inspector and site team working relationships
• Supplemental drawings and construction sketches
• Maintaining the contract record through construction administration