No one likes change orders. While Owners are the biggest opponent, change orders are also a GC’s worst enemy. They eat into profit, throw off schedules, and erode client trust. One of the biggest (and most overlooked) sources of these costly revisions is the access-controlled opening. Wiring pathways for doors are rarely spelled out in early drawings. Frames arrive without conduit. Electricians assume the integrator will handle it. Integrators assume the frame is prepped. And by the time anyone notices, walls are closed, schedules are tight, and the only solution is a change order.
The problem isn’t that anyone is doing their job wrong, it’s that no one has been assigned ownership of the pathway. That small gap in scope quickly grows into a major cost once construction is underway.
The Domino Effect of a Missing Pathway
When a wiring pathway isn’t defined from the start, the fallout is predictable. Electricians are left fishing wires through finished frames, wasting hours on tasks that should take minutes. Frames get drilled in the field, compromising fire ratings and creating inspection failures. Improvised fixes rarely meet code and almost always lead to callbacks.
Each of these issues adds pressure to the schedule, increases labor costs, and frustrates owners who expect smooth delivery. What begins as a single undefined pathway cascade into a series of delays, RFIs, and budget hits. In some cases, owners even have to live with inconsistent or hard-to-service openings, creating long-term maintenance headaches.
Frame Frog as a Built-In Solution
Frame Frog eliminates this risk by standardizing the pathway before the first wire is ever pulled. Its design includes short ports for routing wires internally within the frame and long ports for connecting directly to external conduit. That clarity means every trade knows exactly how to proceed.
Whether installed at the factory with welded clips or in the field with wing tabs, Frame Frog adapts to the project phase without sacrificing quality. Its UL fire-rated system makes inspections smoother and eliminates the question marks that typically appear late in the process. For GCs, that means fewer last-minute surprises and fewer opportunities for change orders to creep in.
Real Savings: Fewer Surprises, Fewer Change Orders
The value of a clean pathway shows up in both the schedule and the budget. Installers move faster when they don’t have to improvise. Coordinating trades becomes simpler when there’s no debate about who owns the work. And inspectors can sign off quickly when everything aligns with fire codes and access control requirements.
Instead of chasing fixes at the end of the job, GCs can count on predictable install times and cleaner closeouts. The pathway is consistent across every opening, which also improves long-term serviceability. What might seem like a small detail becomes a powerful tool for avoiding costly revisions.
Building a Reputation for Fewer Headaches
In construction, reputation is everything. GCs who consistently avoid change orders earn trust not only from owners but also from architects, engineers, and trade partners. By integrating Frame Frog into projects early, GCs deliver openings that work as intended, without the stress, delays, and finger-pointing that so often accompany access control installs.