Change orders in construction: what they are and how to handle them in an old house

In construction, a change order is a written, signed amendment to your contract that changes the scope, price or schedule after work is underway. In old Somerville and Cambridge houses, change orders are almost guaranteed, because nobody can see inside a 100-year-old wall until it is open.

The good news: handled in writing, change orders are routine. Below is how I explain them to clients and how Massachusetts law expects them to work.

What is a change order in construction?

Your contract describes a specific scope of work for a specific price. A change order is any agreed change to that deal, such as:

• Added work: replacing rotted framing found during demolition.
• Removed work: you decide to keep the existing radiators.
• Substitutions: a different tile, window or fixture than the contract specifies.
• Schedule changes caused by any of the above.

A change order can lower the price, too. Credits for deleted work belong on paper just like extras.

Why change orders happen in old Somerville and Cambridge houses

Many of the triple-deckers and two-families I renovate around Davis Square, Union Square and Porter Square are a century old. After that many owners, here is what I commonly find behind the plaster:

• Old wiring, including knob-and-tube, that cannot stay once walls are open. See my knob-and-tube guide.
• Rot and insect damage at sills, porches and under old bathrooms.
• Lead paint. Homes built before 1978 fall under the EPA's RRP program, which requires lead-safe certified firms, and that can widen the scope of prep and cleanup. More in my lead paint guide.
• Past "handyman" work: undersized beams, notched joists, drains with no vent.
• Owner-driven changes: once the room is open, many clients want a niche, more outlets or a bigger window.

What Massachusetts law says about changes

For home improvement work on owner-occupied homes with one to four units, three rules matter:

• M.G.L. c. 142A, section 2 requires the original contract to include a detailed description of work and materials, the total price and a payment schedule. That is the baseline every change is measured against.
• Section 17 makes it a prohibited act for a contractor to depart from the plans or specifications in any material way without the owner's consent.
• The state's Office of Consumer Affairs says, on its contract requirements page, that any modification to the original contract must be in writing and agreed to by both parties.

Bottom line: a verbal "go ahead" on the stairs is not a change order. If it changes the scope or the price, it gets written down and signed.

One more thing to know: change orders are different from allowances. An allowance is a dollar amount already in the contract for finishes you pick later, like tile or light fixtures. Going over an allowance is not a surprise extra, but I still write it up so the new total is clear.

What a good change order includes

1. A number and date, tied to the original contract.
2. A clear description of the change and why it is needed, ideally with photos.
3. The price of the change, as an add or a credit.
4. The new contract total.
5. Any effect on the schedule, in days.
6. How it will be paid: added to a progress payment or due at a milestone.
7. Signatures and dates from both of us, before the work is done.

Change order red flags

• "We'll settle up at the end." Unpriced extras turn into a final bill you never agreed to.
• Vague original scope. "Renovate kitchen" leaves room for endless extras. Push for detail before you sign.
• Work done first, paperwork later. Changes should be signed before the work, except a true emergency like an active leak.
• Pressure to pay for extras in cash or outside the contract. Under section 5, work done under a separate side agreement is not covered by the Guaranty Fund.
• Material swaps you did not approve. That is exactly what section 17 prohibits.

Hiring an owner's representative is another way to have someone review every change order on your behalf.

Need a hand?

I price change orders in writing before we touch anything, with photos and a running total. Book a free walkthrough and I will send a written line-item budget, usually within 48 hours. I work in Somerville, Cambridge and across Greater Boston.

Want someone on your side? See what I do as an owner's representative and how I price work.

About the author

Mateus Magno founded Magno & Co in 2020. He is a licensed Massachusetts Construction Supervisor (CS-123658), registered Home Improvement Contractor (HIC #220484) and certified Lead-Safe Renovator Supervisor who has renovated and managed over $5 million in projects across Greater Boston.

More about Mateus →