Change order form template
A change order form for added, removed, or changed work, with line items, the add or deduct amount, the revised contract total, schedule impact, and signatures for both sides. Fill it in and get it signed before the work starts.
How to use it
Step 1
Download the template
Enter your email and the change order downloads as a fillable document.
Step 2
Describe and price the change
Fill in what's changing and why, the materials and labor, the new contract total, and any days added.
Step 3
Sign before the work
Get both signatures before the crew starts the change, then add it to the final invoice.
What every change order needs
The original contract or estimate number and date, a change order number, and a plain description of the work being added, removed, or changed, with the reason.
The materials and labor, whether the change adds to or deducts from the price, and the revised contract total, so nobody has to rebuild the math later.
How many days the change adds to the schedule, when the change gets paid, and signatures and dates from both sides before the work starts. Rules vary by state, so check your state's requirements.
Common questions
- When do I need a change order?
- Any time the signed contract is about to change. That covers homeowner upgrades, hidden conditions like rot or damaged framing, code or inspector requirements, material substitutions, and scope the homeowner drops. If the price, the scope, or the schedule moves, write it down first.
- Does the customer have to sign before I start?
- Get the signature before the crew starts the changed work. A signed change order is your proof of what was agreed, and in some states a change only becomes part of the contract if it's signed before the work begins. Check your state's requirements.
- How should I price a change order?
- Start from your real cost: materials, labor hours at your loaded rate, and extras like a return trip or a permit revision. Then apply the same markup you used on the base job, so the change earns the same margin as the rest of the work.
- How does a change order affect the final invoice?
- Each signed change order adjusts the contract total, up or down. Add the approved changes to the final invoice as their own lines so the customer can see where the new balance came from.
- How do I handle change orders without paper?
- A template works when changes are rare. In Revcore you log the change on the job, price it from your catalog, and the homeowner signs from their phone. Approved change orders carry onto the invoice, so nothing gets missed.
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