While every construction project should have a comprehensive set of plans before any work starts, sometimes there is a need to deviate from the original plan.
Let’s use two examples that could occur when building a house:
Example one: An owner realizes the living room would benefit from a few more lighting fixtures and tells the workmen doing the installation to add them in.
Example two: A contractor encounters an issue not of their own making and must then spend extra time resolving it before they can continue.
Both are examples of scope creep. Extra work has occurred over and above what was originally agreed on, and that will have a cost in time and perhaps materials.
Changes require negotiation and documenting
If these extras are not discussed at the time they crop up, problems may arise when it comes time for billing. A homeowner may balk at why the bill is higher than they originally agreed to pay.
They might argue that the electrician was already there doing the wiring anyway, so it seems unfair to charge them so much extra to add a few more fittings. They might not realize that those extra fittings required the electrician to redo some of their work to accommodate the changes. Maybe the painters needed to be called back out to touch up the paintwork that got disrupted when installing those new fixtures.
In the second example, the client might argue that the general contractor should have foreseen the issues that caused the extra work back when they first quoted or built some allowance into their price to cover unforeseen issues.
Communication is key in any construction project, as misunderstandings can be stressful and potentially expensive. Having someone experienced in construction law create or review your contracts will reduce the chance that you need their help to resolve disputes over scope creep or other issues later.