A Facade Change That Became a Contractual Lesson
November 19, 2025
Chenla Agathos Solutions
Team Blog
Updates and insights from our project management, construction management, and quantity surveying teams.
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A facade change that became a contractual lesson
In one of our earlier projects under FIDIC Red Book 1999, the façade was designed as GRC with steel support. Midway through the works, the contractor asked to switch to cast in situ because they couldn't secure the GRC system at a reasonable cost.
The Engineer approved the alternative, which in principle made it a Variation.
But two details shaped the result:
- The change came from the contractor's own procurement difficulty, not an employer-driven design change.
- The claim for additional steel support arrived eight months later, well beyond the 28-day notice period.
So while the change qualified as a VO, no cost entitlement followed.
Not every approved change leads to payment. In lump sum contracts, both cause and timing matter.
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