Free template
Change order template
A change order records one change to a job that is already under contract: what is changing, what it does to the price and the schedule, and both parties' agreement before the changed work starts. Contractors, remodelers and trades use one for each change, numbered in order.
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- Signed by
- Customer and Contractor
- Sections
- 8
- Blanks to fill in
- 15
- Formats
- Word, PDF, e-signature
- Last reviewed
What is a change order, and why does it matter?
A change order is a short written amendment to a construction or home improvement contract. It describes one change to the work, states how much the change adds to or takes off the contract price, says how it moves the schedule, and is signed by both the customer and the contractor.
It matters because jobs almost never finish exactly as planned. The customer picks a different tile, the inspector asks for an extra circuit, the crew opens a wall and finds rot. Each of those is usually agreed in a short conversation on site, and spoken changes are the leading cause of payment disputes on jobs: the customer remembers "that shouldn't cost much" and the contractor remembers "go ahead". A signed change order replaces both memories with one price and one date.
Change orders also work as a running ledger. Each one carries the contract price before and after it, so the latest signed change order always shows the current price. That is why they are numbered in order, and why a credit for removed work or a change that only moves the finish date gets its own change order too.
When to use this template
- The customer asks for something that is not in the contract, or asks to remove or swap something that is.
- You uncover a hidden condition, such as rot or outdated wiring, and the fix was not in the price.
- An inspector, an engineer or a supplier forces a change to materials or methods.
- The work is not changing but the finish date is, and you want the new date agreed.
When it is not the right document
- Starting a job. A change order needs a signed contract or an approved estimate to change.
- A change so large that it is really a different project. Write a new contract for that.
- Billing for work that was already in the original scope. That is an invoice or a payment application.
- Jobs whose contract names its own change order form or procedure, as many commercial and public contracts do. Follow that one.
The change order template, section by section
The full text is on the left. Beside each section is a plain-language note on what it does and what to decide before you send it. Words in [brackets] are blanks you fill in.
Change Order
This is Change Order number [Change order number], made on [Date of this change order], between [Customer's name] (the "Customer") and [Contractor's business name] (the "Contractor").
It changes the parties' contract of [Date of the original contract] for [Project] at [Job site]. That contract, together with any earlier change orders signed by both parties, is the "Contract".
1. The change
The parties agree to the following change to the work under the Contract (the "Change"):
[Description of the change]
2. Reason for the change
The reason for the Change is [Reason for the change].
3. Effect on the price
The Change adjusts the Contract price by the following amount: [Amount added or deducted].
The Contract price before this Change Order was [Contract price before this change]. The Contract price after this Change Order is [Contract price after this change].
4. Effect on the schedule
The Change adjusts the time for the work as follows: [Days added or removed].
The new estimated completion for the work under the Contract is [New estimated completion]. The Contract's terms about timing and delays apply to this new estimate.
5. Payment for the change
The amount added by this Change Order is due as follows: [When payment for the change is due]. Payment before the changed work is done is subject to any limit the law sets on deposits and advance payments.
If this Change Order reduces the Contract price, the reduction is taken off the next payment due under the Contract, and any balance off the payments after that.
6. When the changed work starts
The Contractor will not start the changed work until both parties have signed this Change Order. This does not stop the Contractor from taking reasonable steps in an emergency to prevent injury or damage to property.
7. Full adjustment for this change
The price and time adjustments in this Change Order are the full adjustment for the Change, including its effect on the rest of the work under the Contract. Neither party will ask for a further change to the price or the time because of the Change, unless both parties sign a later change order that says so.
This section applies only to the Change described in this Change Order. It does not affect any other change or claim, or a condition that is discovered later.
8. The rest of the contract
Except as changed by this Change Order, the Contract stays the same and continues to apply. The Change becomes part of the work under the Contract, and the Contract's terms, including its terms on workmanship, apply to it. If this Change Order and the Contract say different things about the Change, this Change Order controls.
The parties may sign this Change Order electronically and in separate copies, which together form one document.
The parties agree to this Change Order.
Customer
SignatureDate
Name
Contractor
SignatureDate
Name
Title
Check before you send it
A template cannot know your state, your industry or your deal. These are the points most likely to need a change, and the ones to raise with a lawyer.
- What your contract says. Many contracts say who may approve a change, set a deadline for giving notice of extra cost or time, or fix the markup on changed work. This form does not override those terms.
- Home improvement rules. Some states require change orders on home improvement work to be in writing and signed before the work is done, and some prescribe what a change order must say. California is one example.
- Who is signing. On the customer's side it should be the person who signed the contract or someone they have authorized. On commercial jobs, a change approved by a site representative without authority is a common problem.
- The full-adjustment clause. The form says the stated price and days are the whole adjustment for this change. If you cannot yet price the knock-on effects on the rest of the job, say so in the description, or wait until you can.
- Lenders and insurers. If a construction loan or an insurance claim is paying for the job, the lender or insurer may have to approve a change before it will fund it.
- Advance payment. Where the law limits deposits or advance payments on home improvement work, the limit can apply to payment for a change as well.
How to send it with SignThis
- Fill in the blanks. Choose "Send this for signature". After a short sign-up you are asked for the details: names, dates, amounts. Anything you skip stays a blank line.
- Add who signs. Add the Customer and Contractor, in that order, with their email addresses.
- Place the blocks. Detect fields puts signature, date and name blocks on the signing lines. Add a Text block on any blank you want a signer to fill in.
- Send. Each person gets a private link and signs in their browser. When the last one signs, everyone receives the sealed PDF and its audit certificate.
To change the wording first, download the Word file, edit it, save it as a PDF and upload that instead.
Questions about the change order template
Does a change order have to be in writing?
Most construction contracts require it, and some states require written, signed change orders on home improvement work. Where a spoken change can count, proving what was agreed is hard, and courts in different states disagree on how strictly to apply a contract's written-change requirement when both sides ignored it. Signing a change order before the work avoids the question.
Who signs a change order?
The same parties who signed the contract: the customer, or the owner's authorized representative, and the contractor. On larger projects an architect or construction manager may sign as well. A change to a subcontractor's work is signed by the general contractor and the subcontractor. This template has two signing parties.
What is a deductive change order?
A change order that lowers the contract price because work or materials were removed or swapped for something cheaper. The credit is usually less than the original line item, since the contractor may already have ordered materials or spent time on it. Record it the same way as an addition so the running contract price stays accurate.
Can a change order change only the schedule?
Yes. If a delay moves the finish date but not the price, a time-only change order records the new date and states that there is no change to the price. That ties any later discussion about finishing late to a date both sides agreed.
What if the work is urgent and there is no time to sign?
Do what is needed to prevent injury or damage, then put the change in writing the same day. A change order can be signed electronically from a phone, and a text or email confirming the price before the work continues is far better than nothing. The template allows emergency steps before both sides have signed.