How to Prevent Scope Creep... Your Wallet's Worst Enemy.

Residential Construction is a creative but complex undertaking that requires a lot of planning and preparation. However, even with adequate work on the front-end, there are many scenarios in a remodel or new home build that could cause the scope to “creep”. Scope creep means that as a construction project unfolds, the scope and budget begins to expand unreasonably from the original plan.

There are many different causes for scope creep. The scope can expand because after walls are opened up, there are structural issues that weren’t evident before. Scope expansion can also be caused by preventable issues such as inadequate planning and lack of a design professional.

To avoid scope creep, we recommend doing thorough research on projects like your own as you formulate a potential construction budget. While a contractor may have some different numbers, we think it’s a good idea to be armed with your own knowledge on this issue to a certain extent.

In addition, we believe almost all projects require a design professional to achieve the highest quality possible. While some homeowners prefer to choose their own designs without help, a design professional understands which steps a construction project needs to go in, the more specific costs of specs and selections, and how to bring a “good” project into “amazing” territory.

When you’ve found your designer, it’s important that they are able to develop thorough, detailed construction documents. Vagueness in the planning stages is one of the biggest reasons for scope creep. When complete construction documents are created, it’s safe to assume any mentionable changes to the plans will necessitate changes to the scope of work and subsequently the budget. It’s a good idea to use contractors that rely on signed contracts, often called “Change Orders”, to provide detailed proof of any changes that occur throughout the project. The Change Order could provide the clarity and detail needed in the event of a misunderstanding.

If your scope is beginning to creep and you’re still married to your new ideas, this is a good point to bring up the idea of a second phase to your contractor. Not every project is able to be completed in phases, but the earlier you ask, the more easily they will be able to make it work.