Welcome to your daily briefing on construction developments in Michigan. Today we're covering 6 key stories including updates on michigan construction headlines, background & context. Let's dive in.
3 stories
The source is a Michigan-focused walkthrough on how to get your General Contractor license, framed as a step-by-step path to support a contractor’s journey in MI.
MI construction professionals need proper licensing to operate credibly and keep projects moving, and this guide outlines the core Michigan process they can follow.
This Builders Exchange article on the Construction Project Database says that people usually see only the finished building while a great amount of expertise and effort goes into every project.
For MI construction professionals, it highlights the importance of tracking and presenting the full project process so clients and stakeholders in Michigan better understand the work behind final delivery.
Procore’s Michigan Contractor Licensing Guide explains Michigan’s contractor licensing and registration requirements for businesses in the state.
For MI construction professionals, understanding these requirements is critical to operating legally, managing risk, and maintaining eligibility for MI jobs.
Connect with contractors and builders
3 stories
Most construction contracts require change orders to be in writing, but many states enforce an "oral modification" exception when the parties' conduct shows agreement — especially when the changed work is performed and accepted without protest. Continued performance without written change orders can waive the writing requirement entirely.
Contractors who do extra work hoping to "true it up later" routinely lose those claims because the conduct shows acceptance of the original scope. A signed change order before the work is the cleanest evidence of agreement.
A bid bond protects the owner if the bidder refuses to enter the contract; it pays the difference between the rejected bid and the next responsive bid. A performance bond covers contractor non-performance during the project. A payment bond protects unpaid subcontractors and suppliers. Each has different claimants and triggers.
Subs frequently file claims against the wrong bond and lose them on procedural grounds without ever reaching the merits. Knowing which bond covers your specific exposure is table stakes for collections.
"Pay-when-paid" sets a timing condition only — the GC must still pay even if the owner never does. "Pay-if-paid" creates a true condition precedent — no owner payment, no GC payment to subs. Many states will not enforce pay-if-paid clauses without unmistakably clear language; ambiguity defaults to pay-when-paid.
The risk allocation between subcontractors and GCs hinges on this one phrase. Subs who sign pay-if-paid contracts effectively underwrite owner credit risk on top of project risk.
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