Remodeling: Change Orders

Change Order Management: Creating a System That Works

Fri, 8 Feb 2013 01:40:18 EST

Having a change order management system will save time and help prevent client misunderstandings.

Orderly Change: Managing the Change Order Process

Fri, 8 Feb 2013 02:15:07 EST

Collecting payment for change orders isn't difficult, as long as you have a clear process and you make clients aware of it early in the remodeling process.

Change Order? Get It in Writing

Fri, 8 Feb 2013 02:15:05 EST

Remodelers can save themselves a lot of trouble by ensuring that they define a clear change-order process and closely adhere to it.

Change Is in Order: Change Order Calculations Done in the Field vs. in the Office

Fri, 8 Feb 2013 02:13:29 EST

TIM FALLER: Should you ask your lead carpenter to estimate and present change orders?

Know Your Lines: Building a Thorough Estimate

Thu, 7 Feb 2013 11:59:17 EST

Pre-construction preparation using a detailed line-item spreadsheet helps build a more accurate estimate and reduce the number of change orders.

The Fallacy of the Fast Track

Thu, 7 Feb 2013 11:48:09 EST

Tim Faller: There really is no such thing as a fast track. Skipping steps from planning to production can be costly.

Affecting Change

Thu, 7 Feb 2013 11:47:40 EST

Allison Iantosca: A gentle nudge can be more powerful than a raised voice when it comes to getting employees to change their work habits.

Service With a Smile: Effective Negotiation

Thu, 7 Feb 2013 11:12:06 EST

With homeowners still wielding the bulk of negotiating power, remodelers must be able to plant their feet diplomatically.

Painless Business Generation for Production Staff

Thu, 7 Feb 2013 10:44:24 EST

By leveraging the day-to-day contact your production staff have with homeowners, you can build trust, improve profits, and sail through change orders.

Over and Out

Thu, 7 Feb 2013 09:23:40 EST

In early 2007, Renewal Construction began its “Guaranteed Renovation” program, which promises clients that their project will be “substantially complete” by a specified target date, barring certain unforeseen disasters such as a hurricane or tornado.

Disarm difficult clients by maintaining control.

Thu, 8 Apr 2010 02:45:25 EST

What do you do when you have a client who is draining your business as well as your mental resources?

Portable fax pays its way

Thu, 7 Feb 2013 09:33:54 EST

Ten years ago Medina Construction Co. started using fax machines that operate over cell phone lines to stay connected to the office from even the remotest of jobsites. For a company whose operation covers so much ground, the system has been invaluable.

Change orders converted into separate jobs

Thu, 7 Feb 2013 08:55:43 EST

Jeff Berkowitz, project coordinator at Lawrence Murr Remodeling, Jacksonville, Fla., and his team prefer to convert large change orders into separate jobs. This allows them to use the company's full process to develop the project. The "additional work authorization" offers several benefits.

Communicating payment schedules

Thu, 7 Feb 2013 08:54:01 EST

A quick primer on the best practice of collecting monies owed.

People + Skills: What's In Your Wallet?

Thu, 7 Feb 2013 10:02:18 EST

Scott Truberg, financial manager of Creative Design Construction and Remodeling, Northvale, N.J., realized that poor communication between field and office staff was eating into company profits.

Streamlining the remodeling process

Thu, 7 Feb 2013 08:42:43 EST

Getting clients to make design decisions well before building helps to streamline the remodeling process and cut down on change orders and schedule glitches. Now there's a Web-based system to help with this process: RemodelVision.

Hardknocks: Trust-busters

Thu, 7 Feb 2013 08:40:27 EST

Hilliard Contracting, Raleigh, N.C., ran on trust and goodwill until late one Friday afternoon in 2002, the year the company became Big50. Owner Steven Hilliard had just met with a client whose whole-house remodel was about 75% complete. His purpose was to deliver the unfortunate news that their project, which they had hoped to do for $220,000, was on schedule to cost closer to $330,000.

Profile: Halsey Platt

Thu, 7 Feb 2013 08:35:09 EST

To keep up with change orders and to address client issues, Halsey Platt asked his project managers to meet with clients every two weeks. These meetings address the bigger picture, beyond the day-to-day details covered in weekly meetings.

Site Views

Thu, 7 Feb 2013 09:58:58 EST

To prepare a realistic bid so that clients are not surprised by additional costs after the project begins, Bill Keilty invites his subcontractors to a diagnostic conference or a “bid party.” “It has cut down 80% to 90% of unforeseen change orders,” says the owner of Keilty Construction in Boise, Idaho.

Language Matters

Thu, 7 Feb 2013 08:34:43 EST

I think we all agree that some sales presentations are more effective than others. Many factors account for this difference, but one that is easily overlooked is the language used. Words that have similar meanings or that are often used interchangeably can have very different effects on the listener. The words you use in a presentation can mean the difference between a client's signing your contract or putting the project on hold. Here are some examples of words and phrases that I think you should be careful with.