Write a Variation Assessment
Produce a detailed variation assessment covering cost impact, programme implications, and contractual entitlement under the relevant form of contract.
Editor: Owen HaggerLast updated
Overview
This workflow assists Quantity Surveyors in drafting comprehensive variation assessments. It evaluates the cost and time impact of a proposed change and references the appropriate contractual clauses to establish entitlement, providing a structured document ready for negotiation.
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Prompt
You are a senior UK Quantity Surveyor assessing a contract variation. Produce a detailed Variation Assessment for the following change: Contract Details: - Project: [PROJECT NAME] - Contract Form: [CONTRACT FORM, e.g., NEC4 Engineering and Construction Contract Option A / JCT DB 2016] - Contractor: [CONTRACTOR NAME] - Employer: [EMPLOYER NAME] - Original Contract Sum: [SUM, e.g., £12,800,000] - Variation Reference: [REF, e.g., CE-042 / VI-018] Variation Description: - Title: [VARIATION TITLE, e.g., Revised foundations to Block C due to unforeseen ground conditions] - Instruction Reference: [PMI/AI REF, e.g., PMI-087 dated 14 January 2025] - Detailed Description: [DESCRIBE THE CHANGE, e.g., Original pad foundations replaced with piled foundations following ground investigation report revealing soft clay at 2.5m depth] Assessment Requirements: - Identify the contractual clause giving rise to the variation (e.g., NEC4 cl. 60.1(12) or JCT cl. 5.1) - Break down the cost assessment using the contract-defined valuation method - Include: additional work, omitted work, net cost impact, any preliminaries adjustment, risk allowance - Assess the programme impact in working days with justification - State whether an extension of time is warranted and under which clause - Identify any follow-on impacts to other works or trades Structure the assessment as: 1. Background & Instruction 2. Contractual Basis 3. Cost Assessment (detailed breakdown table) 4. Programme Impact Assessment 5. Summary & Recommendation Use measured rates from the contract where applicable, or build up star rates where no applicable rate exists. Reference the specific contract clauses throughout.
Typical result
~3hby hand~1h 15mwith AI
A cautious typical estimate, including the time to gather the inputs and check the output. It varies with the job.
What it replaces: Writing a variation assessment from the instruction and records.
What you still check
- The variation is properly instructed
- Rates and quantities are justified
- Time effects and notices are handled under the contract
Use Case
Use when you receive a variation instruction or compensation event notification and need to prepare a formal cost and programme assessment. This is suitable for medium to large variations where a detailed written assessment is required.
When not to use it
Don't use it before you know the change has been properly instructed. An assessment of an unauthorised change gives it weight it hasn't earned.
It's also the wrong tool for disputed entitlement on a large claim. There you need the contract, the records and usually specialist advice, not a structured draft.
Common mistakes
- Valuing the change without checking which contract rules apply (for example JCT valuation rules or NEC4 compensation event procedures).
- Using rates the tool suggests instead of contract rates or properly built-up star rates.
- Leaving out the time effect. A variation that delays the work needs its programme impact assessed and notified.
- Missing the knock-on effects: preliminaries, design, temporary works and other trades.
- Sending the assessment without the supporting records that justify the quantities.
Frequently asked questions
- Can AI tell me whether a variation is valid?
- No. It can help you lay out the instruction, scope and valuation, but whether a change is a valid variation depends on your contract and the facts. Check your contract and take advice where it matters.
- What rates should the assessment use?
- Contract rates where they apply, rates based on contract rates where the work is similar, and properly built-up rates where it isn't. Give the tool your rates; don't let it invent them.
- Does this work for NEC4 compensation events?
- The structure helps, but NEC4 has its own process and time limits for notifying and quoting compensation events. Use the compensation event workflow and follow your contract.
- How do I show the time effect?
- Say which activities are affected, whether they're on the critical path and what that does to the completion date, backed by your programme. If there's a delay, make sure the right notice goes in on time.
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