Free change order template
Fill in the job, the change and the price, then download a ready-to-sign change order PDF. Free, no sign-up. It’s the same change order PaperForeman sends for e-signature.
Fill in your change order
What is a change order?
A change order is a written agreement, signed by the contractor and the client, that changes the scope, price or schedule of a construction job after the original contract is signed. It puts the extra work, what it costs and how many days it adds in writing before the work is done, so there is no argument about it on the final bill.
When do you need one?
- The client asks for more. “While you’re here, can you also…” Any added work with a price.
- An upgrade. Quartz instead of laminate, a better window, a different shingle.
- Something hidden turns up. Rotted decking, bad framing, old wiring behind the wall.
- Work comes off the job. A credit for something the client no longer wants.
- The schedule moves. The change adds days, or takes them off.
What goes on a change order
- Your company name, phone, email and license number
- The client’s name and the job name and address
- A change order number and date
- What’s changing, in plain words
- Each line: description, quantity, unit and price
- The total for the change
- How many days it adds to the schedule (or takes off)
- Terms: that the rest of the original contract still applies, and when payment is due
- Signature and date lines for the client
How to use one, step by step
- 1. Write it down before you start. As soon as the client asks for the change, write the change order: what’s changing, each line with its price, and the days it adds.
- 2. Get it signed first. Have the client sign it before you do the work. A signature on paper or an electronic signature on their phone both work for most business paperwork.
- 3. Keep the signed copy. Keep the signed PDF with the job. You and the client should both have a copy.
- 4. Put it on the next invoice. Add the change order’s total to the job’s next invoice, so the extra work gets billed.
Change order questions
What is a change order?
A change order is a written agreement, signed by the contractor and the client, that changes the scope, price or schedule of a construction job after the original contract is signed. It puts the extra work, what it costs and how many days it adds in writing before the work is done, so there is no argument about it on the final bill.
Who signs a change order?
The client who approves the extra work signs it, and the contractor signs or issues it. On a job with a general contractor, a sub’s change order is usually signed by the GC. Get the signature before you do the work.
Is an electronically signed change order binding?
In the U.S., the federal ESIGN Act and the UETA (adopted by almost every state) treat an electronic signature like a handwritten one for most business paperwork. Check what your original contract says about changes. This isn’t legal advice: have your attorney review your change order terms.
What’s the difference between a change order and an invoice?
A change order is the agreement to do extra work at a price, signed before the work. The invoice is the bill. The signed change order’s total goes onto the job’s next invoice.
Is this template free?
Yes. Fill it in and download the PDF as often as you like, with no sign-up, and nothing you type is saved. If you want your client to sign on their phone and the extra to go on your invoice by itself, PaperForeman does that for $149/month after a 14-day free trial.
Do my clients need an account?
No. They get an email with a link. They read, sign or pay on their phone or computer. No app, no password, nothing to download.
Get the extra signed before you do it.
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