Builder Says It's a Variation — 7 Questions to Ask Before You Sign It Off (NZ)
- sp8002
- May 31
- 4 min read
A variation form has appeared and the builder wants a signature. Before you give it, ask seven questions. A variation you can answer all seven on is safe to sign; one you cannot is one to pause on.
By Steve Parker · Trueworks · NZ construction contract review · 5 min
What you'll learn
The seven questions that make a variation safe to sign
The "sign now, price later" trap to avoid
What a good answer looks like, and the red flag for each
Quick answer: Before you sign off a variation, ask seven questions. What exactly is changing? Why — did I request it, or is it fixing something? Is this a true variation or an allowance adjustment? What is the price, broken down? What does it do to the completion date? Does it need a consent or an amendment? And is it being agreed in writing before the work starts? A variation you can answer all seven on is safe to sign. One you cannot is one to pause on.
Signing a variation is agreeing to change your contract. It deserves the same care you gave the contract. The good news is that a sound variation answers seven simple questions cleanly — and the act of asking them is usually enough to surface anything that is not sound.
The seven questions
What exactly is changing? A clear description of the work added, removed, or substituted — not "extra works to bathroom."
Why is it needed? Did you request the change, or is it fixing a problem or covering something missed at pricing? A builder-initiated fix for their own error is on weaker ground than a change you asked for.
Is this actually a variation? Or is it a provisional-sum or PC-sum adjustment, which is charged differently and should not carry a fresh margin? (See provisional sums vs variations.)
What is the price, broken down? Labour, materials, and a single stated margin — not a round number.
What does it do to the completion date? A variation can move the finish line; that effect should be stated, not discovered later.
Does it need a building consent or an amendment? Some changes do. This belongs on the variation, not in a surprise from the council.
Is it in writing, agreed before the work? On residential work of $30,000 or more, the builder should notify the price, time, and consent effects in writing within 10 working days — before the work, not after.
The "sign now, price later" trap
The single most important thing to avoid is signing an open-ended variation — approving the work before the price is known, on a promise it will be "sorted later." Once the work is done, your leverage is gone. If the price genuinely cannot be fixed yet, agree a not-to-exceed figure or a clear basis for the charge in writing first.
What a good answer looks like
| Question | Good answer | Red flag | |---|---|---| | What is changing | Specific scope, in writing | "Extra works", verbal only | | Price | Itemised breakdown, one margin | Round number, no working | | Time effect | Stated days | "Won't affect things" with no basis | | Consent | Addressed | Not mentioned | | Timing | Agreed before the work | Presented after, on the invoice |
If a variation cannot answer questions 4, 5, or 7 cleanly, pause and get a read before you sign. The full framework is in our homeowner's guide to building variations.
Send Trueworks your contract and the line in question. You receive a written, code-cited assessment of whether it was identified, notified, and priced the way the Building Act and your contract require — a second opinion you can put straight in front of your builder. NDA available; files NZ-hosted. → Email steve@trueworks.co.nz or start at trueworks.co.nz
Not sure a variation or charge on your build is justified?
FAQ — Signing off a building variation in NZ
Do I have to sign a variation on the spot? No. You are entitled to understand what you are agreeing to. Asking for the scope, price breakdown, and time effect in writing is reasonable and normal.
What if I already signed an open-ended variation? You can still ask for the breakdown and test the final charge for substantiation and reasonableness, but your position is weaker than if the price had been agreed first. Avoid open-ended sign-offs in future.
Is a verbal variation valid? Work genuinely requested usually has to be paid for, but a verbal variation with no written notice has not followed the process the law builds in, which matters if the amount is later disputed.
Should a variation show the effect on the completion date? Yes. A variation can extend the programme, and that effect should be stated when you sign, not revealed afterwards.
What if the variation needs a consent? Some changes require a building consent or an amendment to one. That should be identified on the variation, because it affects both cost and timeline.
How Trueworks helps
Trueworks reads a variation before you sign it — testing the description, the breakdown, the time and consent effects, and the classification against your contract and the Building Act. You get a written, code-cited answer on whether it is safe to sign, the same day.
About Trueworks
Trueworks is built by Steve Parker — 20 years on the analytical side of NZ construction: variation reviews, contract advisory, and AI-augmented document analysis. It is the same defensible, code-cited read a quantity surveyor would give a variation, made available to the homeowners and trades on the receiving end of one. I answer every email personally during pilot phase.
steve@trueworks.co.nz · trueworks.co.nz
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