Construction Change Order Template: Free Printable Form + How to Write One

Most remodel profit doesn't disappear on the bid. It disappears in the "while you're in there" requests that never got written down. Below is a free, printable construction change order form, a field-by-field guide to filling it out, a worked example, and how to price a change so you actually get paid for it.

What is a change order?

A change order is a signed, written agreement that changes the original contract: the scope (what you'll build), the price, the schedule, or all three. Both you and the client sign it before the changed work starts. Once signed, it becomes part of the contract.

On a remodel, change orders usually come from three places:

• Client requests: upgraded tile, a moved outlet, adding a niche to the shower.
• Hidden conditions: rotted subfloor under the old tub, ungrounded wiring, a bearing wall where the plans showed none.
• Outside requirements: an inspector, HOA or code change that requires extra work.

What to include on a change order form

A change order only protects you if it's specific. These are the fields on our template and why each one matters:

1. Change order number. Number them in order (CO-001, CO-002). It makes disputes and final billing much easier.
2. Date and project. Client name, job address and the original contract date.
3. Who requested it. Client, contractor, architect/designer, or field condition.
4. Description of the change. What's being added, removed or changed, in plain words. Reference rooms, drawings or selections.
5. Reason. One line. "Client upgrade" and "rot found under tub" read very differently six months later.
6. Cost breakdown. Labor, materials, subcontractor, equipment, then overhead and profit.
7. Credit for removed work, if anything from the original scope is deleted.
8. Total for this change (add or deduct).
9. Running contract total: original contract, previous change orders, this change, new contract sum.
10. Schedule impact in working days, and the new estimated completion date.
11. Payment terms for this change: due on signing, with the next draw, or at completion.
12. Signatures and dates from both parties, with a line that work won't start until it's signed.

Free change order template (printable)

Print this page section or grab the PDF. It fits on one letter-size page.

CHANGE ORDERNo. ________

Date: ____________

Contractor

Client

Project address

Original contract date

Requested by☐ Client   ☐ Contractor   ☐ Designer/Architect   ☐ Field condition   ☐ Inspector/Code

Description of change

Reason

Cost item	Amount
Labor	$
Materials	$
Subcontractors	$
Equipment / disposal	$
Overhead & profit (___%)	$
Credit for deleted work	−$
Total this change (add / deduct)	$

Original contract sum	$
Net of previous change orders	$
This change order	$
New contract sum	$

Schedule impact (working days)

New est. completion date

Payment terms for this change☐ Due on signing   ☐ With next draw   ☐ At completion

The work above will not begin until this change order is signed by both parties. All other terms of the original contract remain in effect.

Contractor signature / date

Client signature / date

Print this form

How to write a change order, step by step

1. Stop and write it down before the work starts. The moment a client says "can you also…", tell them you'll send a change order with the price and the schedule impact.
2. Describe the change so a stranger could build it. "Replace 12 sq ft of rotted subfloor at tub wall with 3/4″ T&G plywood, glued and screwed" beats "fix floor."
3. Price it the way you priced the bid. Same labor rates, same markup (see below).
4. Show the schedule impact. Even zero days is worth writing; clients rarely think about time.
5. Attach photos for hidden conditions. A photo of the rot ends most arguments.
6. Get the signature, then do the work. Email, a signed PDF or an e-signature link all beat a verbal OK.
7. Bill it. Add the change to the next invoice or draw so it doesn't get forgotten at closeout.

How to price a change order

Change orders cost more per dollar of work than the original bid. Your crew stops, re-plans, makes an extra supply run and sometimes tears out finished work. Price for that:

• Direct cost: labor hours × your loaded labor rate, plus materials, subs, equipment and disposal.
• Overhead and profit: apply the markup in your contract. Many residential contracts state a markup for changes; if yours doesn't, add a clause before the next job.
• Disruption: include real time for re-mobilizing, extra trips and coordination. Some contractors add a flat change order fee; if you do, put it in the contract up front so it isn't a surprise.
• Credits: when you remove scope, credit the client your cost for the deleted work, not the full selling price, if your contract allows it. Spell this out in writing.

Worked example: moving a kitchen sink to the island

Original contract: $48,500 kitchen remodel. Mid-demo, the client asks to move the sink from the window wall to the new island.

Example numbers only. Use your own rates, your local code and your contract's markup terms.

Common change order mistakes

• Doing the work on a handshake. Verbal approvals are the #1 source of end-of-job disputes.
• Leaving out the schedule. The client agrees to $800 and then is upset the job finishes a week later.
• Vague scope. "Upgrade tile" without the product, size and square footage invites a second argument.
• Not tracking the running total. Clients lose track of five small changes. Show the new contract sum on every change order.
• Forgetting to bill it. Approved changes that never hit an invoice are pure loss.

Change order vs. addendum vs. change directive

• Change order: changes scope, price or time after the contract is signed, agreed by both parties.
• Addendum: usually adds or clarifies terms, often before signing (for example during bidding).
• Construction change directive: used on some (mostly commercial, AIA-style) contracts when the owner directs a change before price and time are agreed. Rare on residential remodels.

A note for Florida remodelers

If you work in Sarasota, Tampa or anywhere in Florida, read the change and payment sections of your contract with a Florida construction attorney once, and make sure your change order form matches it. Hurricane season also makes the schedule-impact line more important than usual: write down weather days and material delays on the change order rather than leaving them for the final walkthrough. This article isn't legal advice.

Paper form or app?

A printed form works. The weak spots are speed and follow-through: getting a signature while the client is at work, keeping photos attached, and remembering to bill it. In Amberchalk you write the change order on your phone, send the client a link, and they approve or decline with a typed signature from anywhere, with no account. Their response and typed signature are saved on the change order, so it's on record and ready to bill. It works on the Free plan.

Frequently asked questions

Who pays for change orders in construction?

Usually whoever asked for the change or whoever the contract assigns the risk to. Client-requested upgrades are paid by the client. Hidden conditions (like rot behind a wall) are typically billed to the client if the contract says unforeseen conditions are extra. Contractor mistakes are on the contractor. Your contract language decides it, so read it before the job starts.

Should a change order be signed before the work starts?

Yes. Get the signed change order, with price and schedule impact, before doing the changed work. If something is urgent (like an active leak), document it in writing and with photos the same day and get the signature as soon as possible.

Is a text message approval enough for a change order?

A text is better than nothing, but it rarely states the scope, price and schedule clearly. A signed form or an e-signature on a written change order is much stronger. Check your contract for how changes must be approved.

Can a contractor charge a fee for a change order?

Many contractors charge an administrative fee or a higher markup on changes to cover re-planning and disruption. It's fair if it's written into the contract before work begins, so the client knows the rule in advance.

What is the difference between a change order and an addendum?

A change order modifies scope, price or schedule after the contract is signed. An addendum usually adds or clarifies terms, often during bidding or before signing.

Is this change order template free?

Yes. The PDF and the printable version on this page are free to use and edit for your own jobs, with no email required.