How to Write a Change Order
The short answer: A change order needs a clear description of the changed scope, the cost adjustment broken out, the schedule impact, the new contract total, a reference to the original contract, and a signature line for each side. Write it, price it, and get it signed before you do the work. A verbal yes does not get you paid.
A change order is the written amendment that adjusts your contract when the job changes. If you need the basics first, see what is a change order. This guide is about writing one that actually gets you signed and paid.
What every change order needs
A change order is a mini-contract. It has to stand on its own and tie back to the original deal. Leave out a piece and you give the other side room to argue later.
Here are the parts every change order needs:
| Piece | What it does |
|---|---|
| Reference to the original contract | Ties the change to the signed job (contract number or date) |
| Description of the changed scope | States exactly what is being added, removed, or altered |
| Cost adjustment | The dollar change, broken out so it is not a mystery number |
| Schedule impact | How many days this adds to the completion date |
| New contract total | The original price plus this change, stated as one number |
| Signature lines | A dated line for you and a dated line for the owner or GC |
The cost adjustment is where most disputes start. Break it out. If quartz adds material and labor, show both. A single lump sum with no detail invites pushback.
The change order process, step by step
Run the same process every time. The order matters, because the goal is a signature before you lift a tool.
- Spot the change. The owner asks for something outside the original scope, or a site condition forces it. The moment the work no longer matches the contract, it is a change.
- Document the scope and price before you do the work. Write the description, price the cost adjustment, and figure the schedule hit. Do this first, not after.
- Submit it for written approval. Hand it over as its own document, not a line buried in an email or a text. Make it easy to read and easy to sign.
- Get it signed. Both sides date and sign. Now you have an amended contract and a price you can collect.
- Then do the work. Once it is signed, build it. Not before.
The whole point is step 4 before step 5. Get the signature first, and the change order does its job. Do the work first and you are negotiating from behind.
A worked example
Say you are mid-way through a kitchen remodel. The contract specs laminate counters. The owner walks the job and asks to upgrade to quartz.
That is a change. Here is how you write it.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| References | Contract dated March 3, 2026, kitchen remodel |
| Scope change | Upgrade kitchen counters from laminate to quartz, 40 sq ft |
| Material | Quartz slab and edge work: $2,800 |
| Labor | Removal of laminate, template, and install: $1,400 |
| Cost adjustment | +$4,200 |
| Schedule impact | +5 business days (slab fabrication lead time) |
| New contract total | $38,000 original + $4,200 = $42,200 |
You write that up, hand it to the owner, and they sign and date it. Now the quartz is locked in at $4,200 and the completion date moves out five days, in writing, before you order the slab. If they balk at the price or the delay, you find out now, not after the laminate is in the dumpster.
Common mistakes that cost you
These are the ones that turn a simple change into an unpaid argument.
- Doing the work first. The biggest one. You upgrade to quartz on a handshake, then the owner disputes the price after it is installed. Now your leverage is gone and you are chasing the money.
- Vague descriptions. "Upgrade counters" is not enough. Name the material, the area, and what is included. A fuzzy scope is a fuzzy bill.
- No signature. An unsigned change order is just a quote. If it is not signed and dated by both sides, it does not amend the contract.
- Burying it in an email. A change order folded into a long message gets skimmed and forgotten. Send it as its own document so there is one clear thing to approve.
- Skipping the schedule. If the change adds days and you do not say so, you can end up on the hook for a late finish you did not cause.
Get it signed before the work whenever you can. A verbal yes feels like agreement, but it does not hold up when the bill arrives. The signature is what gets you paid.
This is general information, not legal advice. Your contract has its own change-order clause that sets how changes must be approved, so follow that clause and confirm anything you are unsure of.
- Every change order needs scope, cost, schedule impact, the new total, a contract reference, and two signatures.
- Run the same process every time: spot it, document and price it, get it signed, then build it.
- Get the signature before the work. A verbal yes does not get you paid.
- Break out the cost and name the scope. Vague descriptions and unsigned forms cause disputes.