FREE PRINTABLE TEMPLATE
Change order template — get the signature before the extra work.
Document what changed, what it costs, and how it moves the schedule — with sign-off lines that update the contract total. Fill it on this page and print.
Free to use. Click any dashed field to type your details, then print or save as PDF.
CHANGE ORDER
CO #: Date:
Original contract / bid #:
Customer: Job address:
Description of change
Cost of change
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Change total (+/−) | |
| Original contract amount | |
| NEW CONTRACT TOTAL |
Schedule impact
This change the completion schedule.
All other terms of the original agreement remain in effect. Work described above will not begin until this change order is signed.
This template is provided as a general form and is not legal advice.
The rule that saves the job's profit
No signature, no extra work. Most margin leaks on small jobs are not estimating errors — they are unsigned favors. A one-page form, filled in two minutes on the tailgate, keeps goodwill and gets paid. The new-total line matters most: after two or three changes, neither party should have to do arithmetic to know what the job now costs.
Templates work. A signed digital estimate works faster.
FieldSquire turns a walkthrough — voice notes, photos, measurements — into an editable, line-item estimate with your own labor rates and markup, then sends a branded PDF for signature. Solo plan free for 14 days, no credit card.
Start the free Solo trialFrequently asked questions
What is a change order in construction?
A change order is a signed amendment to the original contract documenting a change in scope, price, or schedule. Signed before the work happens, it turns 'while you're here, could you also…' into paid work instead of a dispute.
When should I write a change order?
Any time scope moves: customer additions, hidden conditions (rot, buried lines, out-of-plumb walls), code-required work, or material substitutions. If it changes cost or schedule, it gets a signature first.
What if the customer refuses to sign a change order?
Then the work does not happen — that is the point. Performing unsigned extra work converts your labor into a gift or a fight. A clear form makes signing easy and keeps the conversation professional.
Does a change order change the contract total?
Yes. The form shows the original contract amount, the change amount, and the new total, so both parties always know the current number.
Can I do change orders digitally?
Yes — FieldSquire creates signed change orders on your phone that automatically update the contract total, free for 14 days.