ABSTRACT
It is unrealistic to attempt to ban variations or design changes. A building project is usually a complicated, unique venture erected largely in the open, on ground the condition of which is never fully predictable, and in weather conditions which are even less so. There is a considerable time span between making the initial decision to build and the completion of works on site. During this period technology, fashion and the client’s requirements inevitably change. The standard forms of contract recognise these possibilities and attempt to ensure that variations are valued fairly in accordance with rules which are known at tender stage, rather than leaving the establishment of those rules until the problems occur at which time one party would most probably be in a more advantageous position than the other.
