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Construction Change Order Impact Calculator

Construction change orders rarely come alone — they bring direct cost (scope adds, material upgrades) and indirect cost (schedule slip × monthly carry). Industry typical: 5-10% direct change orders plus 2-5% schedule cost = 7-15% total impact. This calculator quantifies the full burden on the original contract.

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Total change-order impact

$476,000

Impact as % of original

8.65%

Direct change orders %

8.00%

Schedule slip cost

$36,000

How the math works

Change orders include direct cost (added scope, material upgrades) and indirect cost (schedule slip × monthly carry). Industry typical 5-10% direct change orders + 2-5% schedule slip cost = 7-15% total impact on original contract.

Strict scope freeze and design completion before mobilization (rather than design-build) cuts change orders 50-70%.

How to Use

  1. Enter original GC contract amount and cumulative change orders.
  2. Enter original schedule and schedule slip caused by changes.
  3. Enter monthly carry cost (loan interest plus daily overhead).
  4. Read total impact and percentage of original contract.

Frequently Asked Questions

Average change order rate?

Public projects 8-15% (poor scope definition). Private institutional 3-8%. Design-build 5-10%. Owner-driven changes account for 60-70% of total.

Reducing change orders?

Complete design before mobilization (CD set complete, not 80%). Owner decision freeze 30 days before each milestone. Strict change-order approval workflow with cost cap.

Negotiating change orders?

Get cost breakdown: labor hours, material, equipment, overhead/profit %. GC overhead/profit on changes typically 12-20%. Push back on excessive markups.

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