In today’s fast-paced construction environment, the ability to adapt quickly to scope changes is critical for maintaining project momentum and profitability. Managing change orders with clarity, speed, and accuracy ensures that no revenue is lost and that all parties remain aligned on the evolving goals of a project. Active Estimating leverages a robust data-driven framework to efficiently handle change orders—providing clarity from pricing through implementation.

Change Orders: A Common but Costly Challenge

Change orders are a regular feature in commercial construction projects. Whether prompted by updated architectural drawings, structural modifications, or evolving client requirements, they can cause significant disruptions if not properly managed. Manual workflows, disjointed approvals, and fragmented documentation often lead to delays and missed billing opportunities.

How Active Estimating Streamlines the Process

Active Estimating provides an integrated system that centralizes and tracks all change order activity. By focusing on accurate forecasting and documentation, the platform delivers transparency for internal teams and external stakeholders. This eliminates guesswork and reduces costly misunderstandings.

Key Benefits of the System

• Centralized Change Order Management: All changes are logged in a single system, with status tracking from submission through approval.
• Real-Time Updates: Data is synchronized across teams, so field, estimating, and project management teams stay on the same page.
• Data-Driven Pricing: Each change is evaluated based on real-time cost data, ensuring competitive but accurate pricing without underbidding or padding.
• Integrated Workflow: The system links drawings, RFI responses, and proposal documents, providing full context with every change order submission.
• Billing Accuracy: The clear documentation trail ensures that no approved work is missed in billing cycles.

Real-World Example of Application

In a recent large-scale commercial project, multiple floor plan updates were issued mid-construction. Traditionally, these would have required rework in spreadsheets, offline correspondence, and back-and-forth document management. With Active Estimating, the team immediately updated quantity estimates, attached backup documentation, and generated a formal change order proposal within the platform. Stakeholders reviewed and approved the changes digitally, cutting processing time by over 50%.

Data Transparency for Smarter Decisions

The change order dashboard offers real-time reporting on pending and approved changes, financial impact, and billing status. This transparency allows decision-makers to forecast profitability more accurately and prioritize high-impact changes first. Instead of reacting to surprises late in a project, teams proactively manage budget adjustments and communicate clearly with clients.

Designed for the Complexity of Commercial Projects

The platform is purpose-built for the commercial drywall and framing sector, which frequently involves fast-paced change environments. Its tools are designed to support complex build-outs and tenant improvement work, where design iterations and mechanical coordination often drive revisions well into the field phase.

Conclusion

Active Estimating’s data-driven intelligence transforms how construction firms approach change orders. By eliminating redundancy, enhancing accuracy, and improving communication, the system allows contractors to capture more revenue and deliver better outcomes—even when plans evolve. In an industry where change is constant, the right tools make all the difference.

Contact Information

Active Estimating
508 2nd Street, Suite 208
Davis
California
95616

Rich Schoener
richard@activeestimating.com
(877) 982-2848
https://www.activeestimating.com/drywall-estimating-software

Original Source

https://www.activeestimating.com/media-room