Why Changes Are So Costly During Custom Home Construction
Change orders almost always lead to higher costs and construction delays, especially in today’s building environment.
With inflation continuing to make headlines, homeowners planning a custom home are understandably looking for ways to keep construction costs under control. One of the most effective strategies is also one of the simplest: make your design and product selections before construction begins, then keep change orders to a minimum.
This has always been good advice, but today’s material costs, labor constraints, and lead times make early decision-making even more important.
Why Change Orders Cost More
There are good reasons builders try to minimize change orders during custom home construction. A product or design changed after work has begun will almost always cost more than one selected and planned during the design phase.
The additional expense isn’t necessarily limited to the new product itself. A seemingly small change can affect multiple trades, require completed work to be altered, and disrupt the construction schedule.
For example, say you decide to add decorative beams to the family room ceiling. Although the beams are nonstructural, the framers may need to return to add blocking above the drywall. The electrician may also need to relocate recessed lights or other fixtures so they are centered between the new beams.
Or imagine touring your home after the plumbing and electrical rough-ins are complete and deciding you would prefer a counter-mounted faucet instead of the originally specified wall-mounted faucet.
It sounds simple, but the plumber may need to return to relocate the plumbing. Wiring or fixtures could also need to move. If the rough plumbing has already been inspected, another inspection may be required. That one change can potentially delay drywall, cabinetry, and the trades scheduled to follow.
Change Orders Can Affect the Construction Schedule
Scheduling is one of the biggest challenges created by changes during construction.
Subcontractors coordinate their work weeks or months in advance. Once a plumber, electrician, framer, or other trade finishes their scheduled work on your home, they typically move on to another project.
If they need to return because of a change order, they may not be available immediately. Even a relatively small adjustment can therefore have a ripple effect throughout the construction schedule.
Product Lead Times Can Create Additional Delays
Material availability can also complicate last-minute changes.
Many specialty fixtures, finishes, appliances, and other custom home products have substantial production and shipping lead times. Switching products after construction begins could mean waiting weeks, or longer, for the replacement to arrive.
That doesn’t mean you should never make a change. It does mean that homeowners should understand how a new selection could affect both the budget and completion date before moving forward.
Construction Material Costs Are Still Rising
Material pricing makes early selections even more valuable.
According to the National Association of Home Builders, residential building material prices excluding energy were 5% higher in July 2026 than one year earlier. Some individual materials have experienced even larger swings. Making decisions early allows your builder to plan purchases, coordinate trades, and reduce unnecessary exposure to changing prices.
Your custom home builder puts significant effort into creating a construction schedule that uses labor and materials as efficiently as possible. Finalizing design decisions and product selections before construction starts helps protect that schedule and your budget.
Does That Mean You Should Never Make a Change?
Of course not.
It’s your custom home, and one of the reasons to build custom is to create a home that truly works for you. If you realize that a change will meaningfully improve the finished home, it may be absolutely worth making.
The important thing is to understand the potential consequences before approving it.
The fewer decisions that need to be revisited during construction, the more efficiently your builder can keep your project moving forward. Thoughtful planning during the design phase remains one of the best ways to help keep your custom home on budget, on schedule, and aligned with the vision you had from the beginning.
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-Winsome Construction is a custom luxury home builder, crafting high-performance homes throughout Portland, Bend, the Willamette Valley, and the North Oregon Coast. We invite you to stay connected with us by subscribing to our monthly newsletter (enter your name and email below) or calling us today at 503-472-7402.
Categories: Change Orders, Custom Homes, Newsletter, Value and Costs