Free template · no signup
Change order form for contractors: what to put on it (free template)
Most money lost on a job isn’t lost in the bid. It goes out the door as “while you’re here, can you…” work that never got priced or signed. A one-page change order, signed before the extra work starts, fixes that. Here is every line it needs, with an example for each.
The 16 lines of a change order
| Line | What goes there |
| Project / job name and address | Smith kitchen remodel, 12 Oak St. |
| Original contract date and number | Contract #2026-031, signed Sept 8, 2026 |
| Change order number | CO-03 (number them in order, never reuse one) |
| Requested by | Owner, contractor, or architect, and the date asked |
| Description of the change | What is added, removed or substituted, in plain words, with locations and quantities |
| Reason | Owner request, hidden condition found, design change, code requirement |
| Labor | Hours × rate, by trade |
| Materials and equipment | Itemized, with quantities |
| Subcontractor costs | Their written price, attached |
| Overhead and profit on the change | Your stated markup, applied the same way as in the contract |
| Credit for work removed | If the change deletes work, show the credit as a minus line |
| Change order total | Add or deduct, in dollars |
| Revised contract sum | Original sum, plus or minus all approved change orders to date |
| Schedule impact | Number of working days added (or “none”) and the new completion date |
| Payment terms for this change | Billed with the next progress payment, or due on approval |
| Signatures and dates | Owner and contractor; work starts after both sign |
Four rules that keep change orders from turning into arguments
- Sign before you build. Put it in the original contract that extra work starts only after a signed change order. A text message saying “go ahead” is better than nothing, but follow it with the form the same day.
- Price it the same way you priced the bid. Use the same labor rates and the same overhead and profit markup the contract states, so the customer can’t say you inflated it.
- Always show the schedule impact. Extra work usually means extra days. Writing “none” is fine when it’s true; leaving it blank invites a delay dispute later.
- Keep a running total. Every change order shows the revised contract sum, so nobody is surprised at the final invoice.
This is a general template, not legal advice. Change order, home-improvement contract and lien rules vary by state; check your state’s licensing board and have an attorney review your contract and forms.
Want it as a ready-to-fill form?
The Contractor Bid Kit includes a fillable change order (PDF and Word) with these lines, plus an estimate and takeoff worksheet, proposal template, scope and exclusions checklist, progress payment schedule, bid follow-up scripts and an Excel bid calculator. $49 one-time. This page stays free either way.
Get the Contractor Bid Kit — $49 Free bid markup calculatorTemplates and worksheets, not legal, tax or accounting advice. Contract, licensing, deposit, retainage, lien and notice rules vary by state: check your state licensing board and local lien rules, and have an attorney in your state review your contracts before you use them. No guaranteed results.