What should a contractor change order include?

Identify the parties and original contract, reason for change, added and removed scope, detailed materials, price increase or credit, revised contract total, payment effect, schedule effect, exclusions, attachments, authorization boundary, signatures, and dates.

Can a change order reduce the contract price?

Yes. A change order can add, remove, or replace work. Itemize additions and credits separately before showing the net change and revised contract price.

Can a contractor use an electronic signature?

Federal E-SIGN law generally prevents denying legal effect solely because a record or signature is electronic, but it does not remove other content, consent, disclosure, retention, contract, or state-law requirements.

Cornerstone contractor guide · Free template

Document the change before the work changes.

Q: When should a change order be signed?

Obtain the written approval required by the contract and applicable law before performing the changed work. For example, California CSLB guidance says covered home-improvement change orders should be written and signed before the changed work begins.

Turn a field discovery, customer request, added item, deletion, or product change into a clear amendment that connects scope, price, payment, and schedule.

Use the template →See a completed example

15 minute read
Updated July 10, 2026
Residential contractor workflow

Change record 01 Document the condition and boundary before pricing the changed work.

The short answer

A change order amends the original agreement.

It identifies the original contract, describes what is added, removed, or replaced, records the reason and supporting evidence, states the price and payment effects, explains schedule consequences, and captures approval before the changed work begins.

A strong change order makes three comparisons explicit: original scope versus changed scope, previous price versus revised price, and previous schedule versus revised schedule.

When to use one

Use a change order when the agreement changes.

Discovery

Concealed condition

Water damage, unsuitable substrate, hidden wiring, decay, or another condition changes the required work.

Customer

Requested addition or deletion

The owner adds an outlet, removes a cabinet, changes layout, or expands the repair.

Product

Selection or substitution

A finish, fixture, model, material, or allowance selection changes cost, labor, or timing.

Authority

Design or inspection revision

A designer, engineer, manufacturer, permit reviewer, or inspector requires changed work.

Copyable template

Contractor change order

Replace bracketed prompts. Attach marked photos, drawings, quotes, and product records rather than making the description carry every detail alone.

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Change order no. [___]Contract amendment

Parties & project: [Customer, contractor, property, contact details, license/reference information as applicable]
Original agreement: [Contract/work order date, number, original scope section, drawing, estimate, or proposal reference]
Reason for change: [Customer request, concealed condition, design revision, product change, inspection, quantity, or other trigger]
Added or changed work: [Location, quantity, dimensions, method, materials, manufacturer/model/finish, protection, disposal, and completion standard]
Deleted work & credits: [Exact work no longer included, committed/completed cost, material disposition, and itemized credit]
Exclusions & stop conditions: [Work not included, assumptions, hazardous/unsafe conditions, further discovery, and additional approval boundary]
Price calculation: Added work $___ − credits $___ + tax/fees/authorized adjustments $___ = net change $___
Revised contract price: Previous contract price $___ +/− net change $___ = $___
Payment schedule effect: [Deposit/progress/final milestone changed from $___ to $___; payment due event/date]
Time effect: [No change / add or subtract ___ calendar or working days / revised completion date ___]
Attachments: [Before photos, marked area, drawing, product data, supplier quote, estimate, inspection/design record]
Authorization: [Changed work starts only after required approval; unchanged contract terms remain in effect]

Customer / authorized representativeSignature & date

Contractor / authorized representativeSignature & date

Requirements vary by project, contract, and jurisdiction. Adapt this operational template with qualified local guidance; it is not legal advice.

Completed residential example

Bathroom countertop upgrade

This fictional example shows the level of specificity that turns a generic request into an auditable decision.

Change order no. 03Approved example

Original agreement: Bathroom remodel proposal JS-104, dated June 2, 2026. Original scope: furnish and install laminate vanity countertop.
Reason: Customer requested an upgraded fabricated stone countertop after approving a physical sample.
Changed work: Delete laminate top. Template, fabricate, deliver, and install one 3 cm stone vanity top in approved sample finish with eased edge, one undermount sink cutout, faucet drilling, and standard installation.
Excluded: Cabinet modification, wall repair, plumbing beyond disconnect/reconnect, hidden-condition repair, and changes requested after fabrication approval.
Price change: Stone fabrication and installation $2,180 − laminate credit $620 = net addition $1,560.
Revised price: Previous contract $24,500 + $1,560 = $26,060.
Payment effect: $780 due at fabrication release; remaining $780 added to countertop-completion milestone.
Time effect: Add 7 calendar days for field template and fabrication. Revised target completion: July 24, 2026.
Attachments: Approved sample photo, slab/finish reference, edge profile, supplier quote, and vanity dimensions.

Field-to-signature workflow

One clean approval sequence.

Stop at the decision

Secure the site and avoid performing changed work before required approval.

Document the trigger

Capture condition, request, location, dimensions, and original-scope reference.

Price both directions

Itemize additions, deletions, credits, fees, and the revised contract total.

Sign and retain

Give both parties the executed record and preserve attachments with the original agreement.

Research basis

Scope, price, payment, and time belong together.

California CSLB’s contractor guidance says change orders should be written and signed before covered changed work begins and should describe scope, the amount added or subtracted, and the effect on progress payments. It also explains that change orders can remove original work.

Oregon CCB’s public sample identifies the changed product, revised contract price, changed completion date, and acceptance signatures. Federal E-SIGN law generally prevents denying a record or signature legal effect solely because it is electronic, while preserving other legal requirements and consumer-consent rules.

This guide is general operational information. It does not determine whether a particular document is sufficient, enforceable, properly signed, or compliant with licensing, notice, payment, or consumer-protection requirements.

Contractor change order questions

When should a change order be signed?

Before changed work begins when required by the agreement or applicable law. State rules vary, so check the project jurisdiction.

Can a change order reduce the price?

Yes. Itemize deleted scope and credits separately, then show the net change and revised price.

What if the final quantity is unknown?

Use a clearly defined unit price, estimated range, measurement method, evidence, and a not-to-exceed or stop point.

Can electronic signatures be used?

Often, but E-SIGN does not erase state-specific content, consent, disclosure, retention, or contract requirements.

From field note to signed amendment

Describe the change once. Send a clear approval.

JobSign turns the way you naturally explain the work into a customer-facing approval with scope, price, exclusions, attachments, and signatures.

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