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Is Variation Order same as Change Order?

Is Variation Order same as Change Order?

Is Variation Order same as Change Order?

(OP)
Good day to everyone.

My question:

Is there a technical difference between a Variation Order (VO) and a Change Order (CO)? Are they one and the same? Or are they terms that vary from country to country?

My simple understanding:

Variation Order - very minimal change (normally only  additives/deductives in quantity) but original/basic design is retained or still the same.

Change Order - a more substantial change where the nature of the original/basic design is changed (say, a CHB wall is changed to ficemboard double wall on studs).

Is my understanding correct? Where does one draw the line?

Thank you very much for the enlightenment.

cheers and God bless.
   

RE: Is Variation Order same as Change Order?

A lot of companies do it different. Most use EO or ECO (Eng Order or Eng Change Order). They pretty much all do the same thing, just a little different among companies.
I have not heard of VO before.

Chris
Systems Analyst, I.S.
SolidWorks 06 4.1/PDMWorks 06
AutoCAD 06
ctopher's home (updated 06-21-06)

RE: Is Variation Order same as Change Order?

A VO is quite normal in UK. There is also a COVI which is Confirmation of Verbal Instruction, where the contractor confirms a verbal Instruction which is binding if not responded to within a short time.

I have seen a VO which said Take c = 0 (i.e. use the value of 0 for cohesion). The resultant change was millions of dollars.

RE: Is Variation Order same as Change Order?

We use "VO" and "change order" pretty much interchangeably. For some reason we only use "variation order" when explaining what VO stands for and rarely refer to a "CO" though!

RE: Is Variation Order same as Change Order?

The meaning is whatever is defined in the contract.  There is no "standard" definition.

RE: Is Variation Order same as Change Order?

Most contracts that I have worked with only defines Change Order. A change is a change, whether big or small. I have not seen variation order (VO). Guess I need to get out more.

I have worked on a project where a project manager (bless him/her) had the success of inserting a clause allowing us to refuse a Change Order. I have only seen it twice. I think it's great. Makes finishing the job easier, as well as staying on schedule easier too.

"Do not worry about your problems with mathematics, I assure you mine are far greater."   
Albert Einstein
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RE: Is Variation Order same as Change Order?

I agree with everyone that there is no "standard" definition and that the definitions vary from region to region.

The governing jurisdiction may have defined the terms.  In California there are "Information Bulletins" and "Change Orders".  Information Bulletin is essentially a change order without a change in cost.  Once the estimators figure out the cost, IB's get converted into CO's.

Though the term Variation Order is not familiar to me, I tend to agree with humdinger that it is minor compared to Change Order.  Perhaps the key is that there is no change in cost.  My best uneducated guess...

RE: Is Variation Order same as Change Order?

(OP)
Guys, thanks a lot for your replies. I will stick to Change Order (CO) then. he-he. Technical English getting complicated these days...

God bless and best regards from the Philippines!

RE: Is Variation Order same as Change Order?

I have not seen the exact term "Variation Order" used, but I have seen similarly titled documents, all of which are intended to document a temporary variation from the design documents.  The design documents themselves usually remain unchanged, and do not ordinarily provide a specific link or flag to say "we always do it this way, except one time we did it another way..".

Contrast that with a Change Order/ ECO/ whatever, which causes the design documents to be changed.

Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA

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