Exclusive Data: The Change Order Reality Check

Change orders are quietly eroding margins, straining relationships, and putting revenue at risk across specialty trades — and most contractors don’t realize how far behind they are.

In this session, we’ll debut exclusive new research with Dodge Construction Network focused specifically on how HVAC and sheet metal contractors are navigating today’s surge in design changes, documentation gaps, and approval delays. The findings reveal a widening gap between how work is performed in the field and how general contractors expect it to be documented, priced, and approved — a gap that is costing SMACNA contractors time, cash flow, and opportunities to win the next project.

The data is clear: contractors are spending hours each week managing and chasing change orders, approvals take weeks, and misalignment with GCs is common. Meanwhile, most teams are still relying on fragmented workflows, paper-based T&M tracking, and inconsistent processes that make it harder to get paid in full and on time.

This session goes beyond the data to show exactly how top-performing contractors are closing that gap. Attendees will learn how to benchmark their own change order and T&M performance against industry KPIs, pinpoint where revenue is slipping through the cracks, and implement workflow adjustments that align with how GCs actually review and approve work. The result: faster approvals, stronger cash flow, and better project relationships that lead to repeat business.

Josh Franklin