Legal Column: Contract Language for Change Orders

A short construction contract is a good match for a small job. Still, every contract should include a detailed description of the scope of the work and its cost, and a section called “General Conditions” that covers exclusions, start and finish times, and dispute resolution (see last month’s Legal Column). To complete your short-form contract, include a payment schedule and some provision for handling changes. Change Orders The General Conditions should address all changes that affect both the scope of work and the contract price. Concealed conditions. In remodeling, you always end up correcting a problem, like an underframed header or a rotted sill, that wasn’t factored into your price because it was hidden until you started the work. To establish your right to be paid