What is the net change?
Reconcile a trade quote with the approved work and the current schedule.
The question
You are a project engineer on a US community center fit-out. A revised sketch changes the room-sign package. You prepare the price and time effect for the project manager to review before the owner decides.
| Quantity or price | |
|---|---|
| Base scope signs | 24 |
| Revised sketch total | 36 |
| Quote per added sign | 380 |
| Fixed preparation | 900 |
Prices are USD. The quote covers 12 added signs, S25–S36. The approved changes log is still to be checked.
“Give the project manager the pending scope, price and schedule effect.”
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A strong answer, step by step
Open each step in turn. This is one strong answer, not the only one.
Step 1: Check the scope records
What would you do here? Open the move you’d make.
Compare the sign IDs with the approved changes log.
The strong move. The sketch gives the total scope. The change log identifies approvals made since the base scope.
Price all 36 signs because the latest sketch has 36.
Tempting, but it misses something. The revised total includes the 24 signs in the base scope.
See how a strong candidate says it
“I’d compare the sign IDs on the base scope, revised sketch and trade quote. Then I would check whether any of the same IDs are already approved.”
Why it works: The sketch gives the total scope. The change log identifies approvals made since the base scope.
Step 2: Give a provisional price
What would you do here? Open the move you’d make.
Report $5,460 pending the scope check.
The strong move. The estimate explains the quote without adding a pending price to the approved amount.
Add $5,460 to the approved amount when the sketch arrives.
Tempting, but it misses something. The revised sketch shows quantities. The owner has yet to approve this price and scope.
See how a strong candidate says it
“The sketch adds 12 signs to the base. At $380 each plus $900 preparation, the trade’s provisional price is $5,460. I’d keep it pending while I check approved changes.”
Why it works: The estimate explains the quote without adding a pending price to the approved amount.
Step 3: Update cost and time
The approved change log already covers S25–S28, four of the 12 signs in the quote. The trade confirms the $900 preparation still applies to the remaining order and the unit rate stays at $380. Delivery of the pending signs takes 2 extra working days against the package date. The approved schedule shows 1 working day of usable float.
What would you do here? Open the move you’d make.
Price eight signs at $3,940 and flag one working day of milestone risk.
The strong move. The approved log removes the four overlapping units. The schedule absorbs one of the two additional working days.
Report $3,940 and treat both delivery days as milestone delay.
Tempting, but it misses something. The schedule shows one usable working day of float, so the current forecast exposes one day at the milestone.
See how a strong candidate says it
“S25 through S28 are already covered. Eight signs remain, at $380 each plus the fixed $900. That is $3,940 pending. Two extra working days against one day of float leave a one-day milestone risk.”
Why it works: The approved log removes the four overlapping units. The schedule absorbs one of the two additional working days.
Step 4: Give the review record
What would you do here? Open the move you’d make.
Send the net scope and schedule evidence for review.
The strong move. The record lets the reviewer trace quantity, price and time before the owner decides.
Tell the trade to proceed when its price and the sketch agree.
Tempting, but it misses something. The price check supports a recommendation. The case still requires project manager review and the owner’s approval.
See how a strong candidate says it
“I’d list S29 through S36 at $3,940 pending and link the existing approval for S25 through S28. I would ask the scheduler to confirm the one-day risk and send both records to the project manager for review.”
Why it works: The record lets the reviewer trace quantity, price and time before the owner decides.
The answer, in short
- Decision
- Report eight pending signs at $3,940 and a one-working-day milestone risk.
- Because
- Four signs already have approval. One working day of float absorbs part of the two-day delivery change.
- What would change it
- A changed trade lead time or a different verified amount of float changes the schedule estimate.
Common traps
- Pricing the revised total as new scope.
- Counting approved IDs again.
- Applying the full delivery delay to the milestone.
Check your answer
- I compared the sign IDs and approvals.
- I included the fixed preparation once in the pending quote.
- I checked the working-day float.
- I gave a pending recommendation with an owner.
Last reviewed Nov 11, 2026