Change order template, signed before the work.
The customer wants a closet under the stairs and LVP instead of carpet. Put it on paper before anyone picks up a saw: what's added, what comes out, why, what it costs and what it does to the schedule.
Change order
| Item | Qty | Unit | Rate | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Add: frame and drywall storage closet under stairs Includes prehung door, casing and one shelf | 1 | job | $1450.00 | $1,450.00 |
| Add: duplex outlets, rec room east wall On the existing new circuit | 2 | each | $165.00 | $330.00 |
| Add: luxury vinyl plank, rec room, installed Replaces the carpet in the original contract | 380 | sq ft | $6.25 | $2,375.00 |
| Credit: carpet and pad, rec room Removed from scope | -380 | sq ft | $3.80 | -$1,444.00 |
Click any text to change it. Rates and the tax rate are examples, so put in your own. Totals update as you type.
What this template covers
- Only the change, not the whole job again: each added item and each credit on its own line
- Removed work entered as a negative quantity, so the credit comes off the total by itself
- A reason line, so six weeks from now nobody argues about who asked for what
- The running contract total: original, earlier change orders, this one, new total
- What it does to the schedule, when it gets paid, and both signatures
Doing it in Redline
A lot of change orders start with a photo and a conversation in the driveway. Send the chat the photo and what changed, "change order for Whitfield: closet under the stairs $1,450, two outlets at $165, LVP in the rec room 380 sq ft at $6.25", and it lays out the added work as an itemized quote saved on her file next to the job. Building and saving quotes is on the Free plan.
Redline doesn't collect signatures or approvals online, so get the OK on this form or in writing. Have the chat draft an email that spells out the change and send it from your own Gmail when you approve it (the change order approval email shows what one looks like). Then tell it to update the job's value so the job pipeline and your numbers stay right, and invoice the new total with a card pay link when the work is done. Invoicing is on Solo, $29 a month. See quotes and estimates.
Common questions
Do I need a change order for a small add?
If it changes the price or the schedule, write it down. The small adds are the ones that turn into an argument at the final invoice, because nobody remembers agreeing to them.
How do I show work that was taken out?
Put it on its own line starting with "Credit:" and enter the quantity as a negative number, like -380 sq ft. The amount goes negative and comes off the change order total.
Are there rules about change orders on home improvement jobs?
Some states have rules for home improvement contracts, including how changes are written and signed. Check yours, and have your own contract reviewed.
Can Redline send this for an e-signature?
No. Redline saves the quote, and the chat can draft an email laying out the change for you to send from your Gmail, but customers can't sign or approve anything online today. Print this form, or keep their written reply.
Price the change by chat.
Redline is free to start. Send the photo, describe the change, and it builds the lines.
Keep reading
- Contractor estimate templateAny trade: prep, demo, materials, labor, sub, permit, contingency, deposit.
- Contractor invoice templateAny trade: labor, materials, rental, disposal, permit, change order.
- Remodeling change order templateKitchen remodel: rot found at demo, owner adds, a tile credit, new dates.
- General contractor change order templateEngineer and inspector changes, sub pricing, allowance credits and OH&P.
- Quotes and estimatesItemized quotes by chat or from a photo, with a deposit. Options and tax in the composer.