How to change something on your spec mid-project
Want to change a tile, swap a fitting, add something into scope? Tell your builder, agree the cost and the timing, sign the change order, and fund it before work begins. The change-order process keeps everyone clear.
You can change things during the build — that's normal. Renovation customers commonly substitute a finish, add an extra item into scope, or rethink a small element after seeing it take shape. The platform makes this manageable; the change-order process keeps it predictable.
Steps
- Talk to your builder first. Describe what you want to change. The builder will tell you whether it's straightforward, what it'll cost, and what the timing impact is — sometimes nothing, sometimes a few days.
- Confirm with your designer if it's a design call. If the change touches the design pack — a different tile, a different layout, an additional finish — your designer is the right person to sign off, especially if there are knock-on effects.
- Wait for the change order. Your builder submits the change order through the platform. It includes the new scope, the cost (materials and labour), and any impact on the timeline.
- Review and approve through your dashboard. Ask questions if anything isn't clear; the change order is paused until you do.
- Pre-pay the change-order amount into the Beams Account. Funds are held the same way as your construction fee.
- Builder starts the new work. Once it's done, Beams releases the change-order payment on completion.
What can be changed
In short: most things, with the right notice. Materials substitutions are usually quick. Layout changes are slower because they ripple — into other materials, into structural questions, into the design pack. Bigger structural changes during the build are doable but expensive; the build phase is the most expensive place to discover you want a different room.
What can't be reversed
A few things can't be reversed once they've been done — for example, demolition, certain plumbing or electrical first-fix decisions. Your builder will tell you when a decision is approaching that locks in a direction. If you're not sure, ask.
What this means for you
Decide as much as you can during the design phase, when changes are cheapest and easiest. Use the change-order process for anything that needs to flex during the build — the structure protects you and your builder both. The article What is a change order covers the process in more detail.
Related articles
- What is a change order
- How construction payments work
- How materials work — your role, the builder's role, ours