A practical way to manage changes during construction
A change during construction starts as an idea, but it needs a clear decision before it becomes work. Keep the request, the builder’s response and the approved version together. That gives you a way to consider improvements without losing track of what the home includes or which decisions are still open.
Separate a pricing request from permission to proceed
Begin with a question: can this change be evaluated, and what information is needed? State whether you are exploring an option or asking to approve a specific proposal. A conversation about possibilities should leave everyone clear about its status.
NAHB lists a pricing-request form separately from its change-order forms. Its change-order descriptions cover revisions to scope or specifications together with cost and completion-time effects. That is a useful distinction for homeowners: requesting an evaluation and authorizing a change are separate steps. Follow the process in your own agreement; these examples do not describe JenMac’s contract terms.
Describe the change so someone else can identify it
Give each request a short name or number. Identify the room, the current drawing or selection, what you want to change and why. Attach a marked-up plan or product information when helpful, keeping the original version available for comparison. Ask the builder what additional detail is needed.
For a hypothetical pantry-door relocation, a useful request might say: evaluate moving the door to the adjacent wall to improve access from the kitchen, using the attached sketch. Ask the builder to confirm the proposed location and any affected work. The sketch communicates the idea; it is not a construction instruction or confirmation that the change is feasible.
Review the complete effect before choosing
Ask for an explanation that connects the proposed result to the work required. Keep unresolved items visible instead of treating silence as a zero cost or no delay. If there are alternatives, label them so you can compare equivalent information.
- Scope: What is being added, removed or revised, and what stays as currently specified?
- Cost: What additions, credits or applicable fees are included? What still needs pricing?
- Timing: Does the request affect orders, upcoming work or completion? When is a decision needed?
- Coordination: Which drawings, selections, suppliers or trades need an update?
- Dependencies: Does anyone else need to review the proposal before it can be approved?
Approve a specific version through the agreed process
The AIA–MBA Joint Committee recommends formalizing agreed changes before the changed work begins, considering time alongside cost, and notifying affected project participants. Use that as a discussion framework with your builder, with the actual authorization method governed by your project agreement.
Before approving, check that the document describes the version you chose and records how any outstanding questions will be handled. If the proposal changes during discussion, request an updated version. Ask the builder to confirm receipt and the next step so a decision does not remain buried in a message thread.
Source: AIA–MBA Joint Committee: Changes in the Work, section D-1
Keep one change log with a visible status
A shared spreadsheet or simple document can serve as an index to the actual requests and approvals. Use statuses such as requested, under review, awaiting decision, approved, declined and completed. An approved item stays distinct from a finished item; a declined option stays in the record so it is not accidentally revived.
| Record | What to keep |
|---|---|
| Request ID and location | Short name, room and date requested. |
| Current proposal | Exact revision or dated document, with a link to it. |
| Scope and financial effect | Agreed work, quoted adjustment and any unresolved items. |
| Schedule effect | Builder’s stated timing impact and decision deadline. |
| Decision and evidence | Status, authorized decision, date and approval reference. |
| Next action | Who handles the next step and how completion will be confirmed. |
Close the loop after the decision
Ask which updated plan or selection record now controls the work and who will distribute it. Keep obsolete versions clearly marked in your own records. At the next appropriate project check-in, compare the completed change with the approved description and raise any question through the builder’s contact process.
For a JenMac custom home, bring change requests to Josh, the main contact during construction. Agree early on how requests should be submitted and tracked. A consistent process makes it easier to discuss a worthwhile improvement while keeping the rest of the build understandable.
Prepared with AI assistance using the company information and sources linked in each guide. These planning guides are not project-specific quotes or designs.