Change control and variations

Changes within construction projects are inevitable, but should be kept to a minimum and, when they do occur, controlled rigorously. For this to happen, there must be an adequate strategy and sufficient supporting documentation to record and manage the change control process.

Construction project changes - irrespective of their origin - will generally impact on the overall project cost, either as a decrease or an increase. The early identification of necessary or proposed changes enables a fuller evaluation in terms of cost, schedule and quality.

With any major construction project, it is important to establish the change control process at an early point within the feasibility stage. This process is summarised below:

• establish the change control strategy;
• define the change control process;
• document the process as a project-specific procedure;
• establish a change control log;
• monitor and log changes;
• agree with the client or supplier as to whether the changes logged are acceptable or should be rejected;
• produce a cost reconciliation statement, summarising where the changes are included;
• report overall costs with agreed changes.

Establishing the change control strategy for a project

Before any change control process can be developed, a strategic review is required to establish the most appropriate method for controlling change. Change is not only about cost - schedule and quality changes need to be considered too. When the scope of a project changes, or the method for building, then all three areas need consideration. It is the cost manager or quantity surveyor who should concentrate on the commercial implications of any change, but he or she should consult closely with the planner, project manager and designer, so that the full impact of the change can be assessed.

Within the strategic review, the following should be considered:

• the contract terms with the client and suppliers;
• the type of project;
• the size of the project;
• the complexity of the project;
• the tools available (software solutions);
• the length of the project;
• whether there is multi-supplier access to the process or whether this is controlled by one supplier;
• the availability of resources for the design and implementation of the process.

Documenting the process as a project-specific procedure

On agreement of the above process with the relevant parties, a formal project procedure can be written. This should, as a minimum:

• provide an overview of the process;
• state the key principles adopted;
• define who is accountable and responsible;
• prescribe who will approve changes;
• define the financial authority limits within the organisation;
• define the process in detail and provide worked examples;
• list the forms and logs to be used;
• define the change control reports; and
• provide guidance on the system tool to manage change.