The following is a realistic example illustrating the necessity of our services.

The Situation

“Jersey Shore Builders,” a general contractor, took on a large residential renovation in Ocean County. The handshake deal with the homeowner was friendly. Halfway through, the homeowner asked the framing subcontractor, “While you’re here, can you just extend this deck by five feet?” The sub agreed, thinking the GC would cover it. The GC thought the homeowner would pay extra.

The Crisis

When the final invoice arrived, the homeowner refused to pay the additional $15,000 for the deck extension, claiming it was part of the original price. Because there was no written Change Order and the original contract was vague on the “Scope of Work,” the GC was stuck paying the subcontractor out of his own pocket to avoid a lien.

The Solution

Jersey Shore Builders hired The Law Offices of Paul H. Appel to revamp their entire contract suite. We implemented a rigorous Change Order Protocol.

A year later, on a commercial project in Eatonown, a similar request was made. This time, the project manager pulled out the new contract. He presented a written Change Order requiring a signature before the work began. The client signed, the price was locked in, and the project finished profitable and on time.