Find the change order rules before the next scope change
Change order procedures set out how the owner, contractor and design professional agree to changes in the work, the contract sum and the contract time. They often add construction change directives, minor changes and strict notice requirements. Ask Search+ how changes must be requested, priced and approved under your documents, and read the cited clauses in the general conditions, supplementary conditions and Division 01.
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Last updated October 2026
How to check change order procedures with Search+
- Upload the conditions and Division 01
Add the general and supplementary conditions, the agreement and the general requirements sections. Change procedures are often split between them.
- Ask about each path for a change
Ask separately about change orders, construction change directives and minor changes in the work. Each tends to have its own approval and pricing rules.
- Ask about notice and markups
Ask how much notice a claim for extra cost or time requires and what overhead and profit markups are allowed. Open each citation to read the conditions.
Questions about change orders
Who must sign a change order for it to be valid under this contract?
Can the owner direct a change before price and time are agreed, and how is the cost then determined?
What methods can be used to price a change: lump sum, unit prices or cost plus a fee?
What overhead and profit percentages are allowed on changed work for the contractor and subcontractors?
How soon must the contractor give written notice of a claim for additional time or money?
What to look for in change order procedures
Many contracts say only a signed change order changes the contract sum or time. Oral instructions may not count, so check the wording.
A construction change directive lets work proceed before agreement on price or time. The documents usually say how the adjustment is decided afterwards.
Claims for extra time or cost often require written notice within a set period. Missing it can affect the claim, so find the exact period.
Supplementary conditions often limit markups and define which costs can be charged. The figures vary by project, so read them in the cited text.
Ask across the whole workspace and Search+ cites each document it draws on, which helps when the conditions and Division 01 both address changes.
Change order wording and what to ask next
| Wording you may see | What it usually signals | A follow-up question |
|---|---|---|
| "Change Order" | A signed agreement to change work, sum or time | Who must sign it? |
| "Construction Change Directive" | A change ordered before price is agreed | How is the cost determined afterwards? |
| "minor changes in the Work" | Changes without cost or time effect | Who can order a minor change? |
| "overhead and profit" | Allowed markup on changed work | What percentages apply to subcontracted work? |
| "within ... days after" | A notice or claim deadline | What event starts the notice period? |
| "unit prices" | Pre-agreed prices for quantities | Which unit prices apply to this change? |
What are change order procedures?
Change order procedures are the provisions in construction documents that govern how changes to the work, the contract sum and the contract time are requested, priced, approved and recorded.
Change order procedure questions
Can Search+ find the change order clause in my general conditions?
Will it find notice deadlines for claims?
Can it find markup limits in the supplementary conditions?
Can I compare change procedures across two projects?
Is this legal advice about a disputed change?
Know the rules before the scope moves
Start a workspace, upload the contract conditions, and ask how changes are approved.
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