Why is it important to negotiate the price of change orders?

Negotiating the price of change orders is crucial for controlling project budgets and financial resources. Change orders often arise from alterations in the project scope due to unforeseen circumstances, client requests, or adjustments in regulations or standards. If these changes are not carefully priced and negotiated, they can lead to significant cost overruns. By negotiating effectively, project managers ensure that they have a clear understanding of how these changes impact the overall budget. This process helps in maintaining financial control and allows for better allocation of resources throughout the project's lifecycle.

While avoiding project delays, maintaining good supplier relationships, and allowing flexibility in project scope are certainly important aspects of project management, they do not directly address the financial implications that arise from change orders as effectively as cost control does. Thus, focusing on budget management underlines the importance of price negotiations in maintaining the overall financial health of a project.