How to write a change order
A change order is a short written agreement that changes the scope, price or schedule of a contract that's already signed. A good one is specific, shows the new total, and gets signed before the extra work starts. Here's what to put in it and how to keep it from turning into an argument later.
Updated October 13, 2026 · 4 min read
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When you need one
Write a change order any time the job you're doing stops matching the job you priced. The common triggers:
- The customer adds work. Another room, an upgraded fixture, a second gate.
- You find a hidden condition. Rotted framing behind the siding, a breaker panel that won't pass, more damaged decking than the inspection showed.
- A material changes. The specified product is discontinued or delayed and you substitute.
- Work comes out. The customer drops part of the scope and you owe a credit.
- The schedule moves. Weather, permits or the customer's own delays push the finish date.
What to include
- A link to the original contract. Its date or number, both parties' names and the job address.
- A change order number and date. Number them in order so nobody can lose one.
- The change, described specifically. What you'll add, remove or substitute, with quantities and materials. "Replace damaged roof decking as found" invites a fight; name the area and how you'll measure it.
- The price. The amount added or credited, with a short breakdown of labor and materials if you can.
- The new contract total. Previous total, this change, new total. It's the line customers check first.
- The schedule impact. Days added, or the new completion date. Write "none" if there's none.
- Payment terms for the change. Due now, with the next draw, or at completion.
- Signatures and dates. Yours and the customer's, plus anyone else the contract says must approve changes.
Some states spell it out
California's home improvement law is one example. A change order isn't enforceable against the homeowner unless it states the scope of work, the amount added or subtracted, and the effect on progress payments or the completion date. Check your own state's contractor rules.
A structure you can copy
| Section | What to write |
|---|---|
| Header | Change order number, date, contract date, customer name, job address |
| Description | What changes and why, in plain words, with quantities |
| Price | Amount added or credited, labor and materials broken out |
| Contract total | Previous total, this change, new total |
| Schedule | Days added and the new completion date |
| Payment | When the change gets paid |
| Approval | A line saying both parties agree to the change, then signatures and dates |
Keep it to one page and one change where you can. Bundling five changes into one document makes it harder to approve the four the customer agrees with.
Mistakes that cost money
- Starting on a verbal yes. "Go ahead" in the driveway is easy to forget when the invoice arrives. Get the signature first.
- Vague scope. "Misc. repairs" can't be priced, checked or defended.
- Skipping the new total. Customers who see only the change amount are surprised by the final bill.
- Ignoring the schedule. Extra work takes time. If the finish date moves, put it in writing so a delay isn't held against you.
- No copy for the customer. Everyone should leave with the same signed version.
If the customer won't sign
Sometimes the customer balks at the price of a change, especially a hidden condition they didn't expect to pay for. Don't start the extra work and hope to sort it out later. Instead:
- Show them what you found. Photos of the rot, the failed part or the code issue make the case better than words. Add them to the change order as extra pages.
- Offer options. Fix it now at the quoted price, a cheaper repair with its trade-offs, or leave it and note in writing that they declined.
- Put a decline in writing too. If they say no, a signed note that they chose not to make the change protects you if the problem shows up later.
- Check your contract. Many contracts say what happens when the parties can't agree on a change. Follow that process.
Get it signed before the work starts
The best moment to sign a change order is right when it's agreed, usually standing on the job. A signature on your phone at that moment beats a PDF emailed that night and signed next week. Under the federal ESIGN Act and state UETA laws, a signature can't be denied legal effect just because it's electronic, so a change order signed on a phone generally counts like one signed on paper.
If the customer isn't there, send it for signature and hold the extra work until it comes back signed. If the original contract says changes need someone else's approval, like a lender or property manager, add them as a signer too.
Change orders with SignMaster
- 1
Make a change order template
Upload your change order form once and save it as a template with fields for the description, amount, new total, days added, signatures and dates signed.
- 2
Fill it on the job
Start an envelope from the template on your phone and type in the change. An envelope is SignMaster's word for one or more documents going to one or more signers.
- 3
Sign in person or send a link
With the customer there, tap Sign in person and hand them your phone. Otherwise send it, set a sign-by date, and let reminders follow up.
- 4
Both of you get the signed copy
When the last person signs, everyone gets the signed PDF by email, with a certificate of completion showing who signed and when.
Questions? Answers.
Does a change order need to be signed by both parties?
Your contract usually decides that, and many contracts say changes must be in writing and signed. Even when it isn't required, both signatures are the simplest proof that the customer agreed to the new price.
Can a change order be signed electronically?
Generally, yes. The ESIGN Act and state UETA laws give electronic signatures legal effect for most agreements, including change orders. Check your contract for any rule about how changes must be approved.
Who writes the change order?
Usually the contractor, since they price the change. On larger projects an owner or architect may issue one. Whoever drafts it, both sides should read it before signing.
Is a change order the same as a contract amendment?
Not quite. A change order adjusts the work inside the contract's existing terms. An amendment changes the terms themselves. See change order vs contract amendment.
Sources
- California Business and Professions Code § 7159.6, extra work and change orders · leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
- 15 U.S.C. § 7001, ESIGN Act general rule and consumer consent (govinfo) · govinfo.gov
- Uniform Electronic Transactions Act (1999), final text (Uniform Law Commission) · uniformlaws.org
General information, not legal advice. Laws change, and how they apply depends on your situation. For advice about a specific document, talk to a lawyer licensed in your state.