| There are several considerations in the drafting of the plans for the home you have been contemplating in your mind to construct. Aside from the materials and labor you have identified to utilize in its construction, the site location is also of vital importance. Several problems have been encountered during project implementation because the location’s topography and other site conditions were overlooked.
Site inspection is a critical phase in planning. Major unforeseen events unfavorable to the owner can be avoided if a well-coordinated effort in investigating the project location is undertaken. The estimated cost of the project can be realistically prepared if an actual site inspection is conducted prior to the finalization of the plans. Generally, the cost of the project tends to increase due to the actual site conditions that were not noted during the preparation of the construction plans. This increase in contract costs is termed variation or change orders depending on their effect on the building plans.
What are variation or change orders?
Variation or change orders are changes in the plans that need to be implemented to make the building to be constructed adaptable to actual site conditions. A good example of this change order is when the actual site location is depressed while the plan shows a leveled area. In such a case, big volume of backfilling material is required in addition to the revision of the depth of the columns of the home building. The changes on the floor’s backfilling works and volume of concrete including steel bars to revise the columns are called change or variation orders.
What are the effects of variation or change orders?
If the works called for in the variation or change orders require materials input, it follows that your labor, indirect cost, contractor’s profit and tax will also correspondingly increase. This will eventually jack-up the estimated cost of your home building project. If the amount involve is not provided in your budget contingencies, the effect on your project would be very frustrating. Parallel to your budget increase, it is also possible that your timeline will be affected. If the works required are within your critical path (that is, you have to accomplish it first before you can proceed to the next job like in revising the length of your columns due to the depressed elevations), your completion time will have to be extended.