What every change order template must include
1. Identification and reference
- Change order number (CO-001, CO-002…) so you and the client can track them
- Project and client name, property address
- Reference to the original contract: its date and number
- Date of the change order
This header ties the change to the original agreement so there's no ambiguity about which contract it amends.
2. Description of the change (scope)
The most important field. Describe the added, removed, or altered work in specific, plain language. "Add bathroom fan" is too thin. "Supply and install one 110-CFM ceiling exhaust fan in the main bathroom, ducted to the exterior, including electrical connection to the existing circuit" leaves nothing to argue about later. If the change is a *deletion* of scope, say so plainly. Change orders can be credits.
3. Reason for the change
A short note on why: client request, unforeseen condition, design revision, code requirement. This isn't legally required, but it keeps a clean record and prevents "why did this cost extra?" conversations at close-out.
4. Itemized price
Break the cost down the way you'd price original work: labour, materials, equipment, subs, and markup. An itemized price does two things. It justifies the number so the client sees it's fair, and it forces you to price completely instead of eyeballing a round figure you'll later regret. Show whether it's an add or a credit.
5. Schedule impact
State whether the change moves the completion date and by how many days. This is the field contractors forget most, and it's how you protect yourself when an addition pushes your finish. "No change to completion date" is a valid answer, but say it on purpose.
6. Revised contract total
Show the math: original contract amount, plus (or minus) this change, plus any prior approved changes, equals the new contract total. The homeowner should always see where the running total stands, not just this one change in isolation.
7. Signature and date block
Both parties sign and date. This is what makes the change order binding, and, critically, it should be signed *before* the work begins. A change order without a signature is just a quote.
A free template to start with
You don't need to build this from scratch. A simple change-order template, whether a PDF, a Word doc, or a spreadsheet, with the seven sections above will get you started today and immediately beat writing changes on the back of an invoice or, worse, not writing them at all. Keep a blank copy on your phone and in the truck so you can fill one out the moment a change comes up.
Where a static template falls short
A template is a huge step up from nothing, but a fillable PDF still has limits:
- You re-enter everything by hand. Client details, contract number, pricing, all retyped every time.
- The pricing isn't connected to your real costs. You're eyeballing labour and material numbers instead of pulling from your actual cost data.
- It doesn't update the job. A signed PDF sits in a folder. It doesn't add the scope to your budget or flow the amount into your next invoice, so you still have to remember to bill it, which is exactly where changes get lost.
The template solves the blank-page problem. It doesn't solve the *did-I-actually-bill-this* problem.
From template to system
The next step up is a change order that behaves like what it actually is: a mini-estimate that merges into the job. Instead of a static form, you build the change against your real cost data, send it for a signed approval by link, and on approval it folds into the job's budget and the next invoice automatically. Nothing re-typed, nothing forgotten. That's change orders handled as part of a connected construction project management workflow rather than a stack of PDFs.
TradesMetrics generates each change order as a standalone estimate priced from your seed cost data, captures a signed approval, and folds the approved scope into the budget and billing on its own. Start with a free template if you like, then see how the change-order feature removes the re-typing. For the full workflow, read the change orders hub.