Boring is usually the right answer.

Boring is usually the right answer.

Real Estate Consultant · Houston TX · Member since 2021 · 121 posts · 91 votes

Client came to me convinced their contractor was over-billing. I went through the draw schedule line by line.

Contractor wasn't over-billing. Client's own scope changes weren't documented anywhere, so every change order looked like padding.

Fixed with a change-order log, not a lawsuit. Sometimes the fix is boring. That's usually the sign it's the right one.

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  • Jimmy LieuBusiness Member
    Real Estate Agent · Columbus, OH · Member since 2019 · 3k+ posts · 2k+ votes
    3w
    Quote from @JS Burnett:

    Client came to me convinced their contractor was over-billing. I went through the draw schedule line by line.

    Contractor wasn't over-billing. Client's own scope changes weren't documented anywhere, so every change order looked like padding.

    Fixed with a change-order log, not a lawsuit. Sometimes the fix is boring. That's usually the sign it's the right one.

    Great example, JS. A simple paper trail can save everyone a lot of headaches. Scope changes happen all the time during a rehab, but if they’re only discussed verbally, it gets really hard to remember what was originally included versus what was added later. A clear change-order log with the added work, cost, date, and approval keeps both the investor and contractor accountable and can prevent a small misunderstanding from turning into a bigger dispute.

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