Change-order field audit · 12 checks
Before anyone signs, audit the whole change.
A complete change order connects the original agreement to the exact changed work, then carries that decision through price, payment, schedule, evidence, authority, and signatures.
The short answer
A change order needs more than changed work and a price.
Identify the project and original agreement; record why the change exists; compare old and new scope; show additions and deletions; calculate the net and revised price; update payment and schedule; define exclusions; attach evidence; state the authorization boundary; and capture authorized signatures and dates.
State “no change” when price, payment, or time is unaffected. Silence creates ambiguity; an explicit zero closes the field.
12-point checklist
Every field should answer one decision question.
- 01
Who and which project?
Parties, property, contractor identity, project number, and authorized contacts.
- 02
Which change record?
Change-order number, revision, issue date, status, and superseded version.
- 03
Which original agreement?
Contract date/number and exact scope, drawing, specification, estimate, allowance, or prior change reference.
- 04
Why is it changing?
Customer request, discovery, design, inspection, product, quantity, correction, or other factual trigger with evidence.
- 05
What was originally included?
Preserve the baseline condition, product, quantity, method, or work being replaced.
- 06
What is added, deleted, or replaced?
Location, dimensions, quantity, work method, materials, finish, protection, testing, cleanup, and completion standard.
- 07
What remains excluded or unknown?
Assumptions, work by others, concealed conditions, restoration, stop point, and further approval boundary.
- 08
How does the price reconcile?
Additions, credits, committed costs, tax, fees, markup, allowances, unit/T&M basis, net change, and revised total.
- 09
How does payment change?
Due event, progress milestone, deposit/material order treatment, revised installment, and balance.
- 10
How does time change?
No change, days added/subtracted, revised date, lead time, dependency, or pending determination process.
- 11
What evidence is incorporated?
Marked photos, drawings, selections, quotes, product data, measurements, reports, and attachment revision/date.
- 12
Who authorizes what, and when?
Permission to proceed, unchanged original terms, signer authority, signatures, dates, timestamps, and executed copy.
One-page audit
Ready-to-sign scorecard
Mark every item Yes, No, or Not Applicable. A No is a drafting task, not something to explain verbally after signature.
Build the approval with JobSign →- Identity
- [ ] Parties/project [ ] Change no./revision [ ] Original agreement/scope reference
- Change
- [ ] Factual reason [ ] Original baseline [ ] Added scope [ ] Deleted scope/credit
- Boundary
- [ ] Quantities/materials/method [ ] Exclusions [ ] Assumptions [ ] Stop conditions
- Money
- [ ] Addition [ ] Credit [ ] Adjustments [ ] Net change [ ] Revised total
- Payment
- [ ] Due event/date [ ] Revised milestone/amount [ ] Remaining balance
- Time
- [ ] No change or exact effect [ ] Revised completion/dependency [ ] Decision deadline
- Evidence
- [ ] Every attachment named, dated, and revision-controlled [ ] Visual boundary marked
- Authority
- [ ] Correct signer(s) [ ] Approval before work when required [ ] Executed copy retained
This checklist is operational guidance. State law and the original agreement may require additional wording, notices, formatting, timing, or signatures.
Wording repair
Replace shorthand with decision-grade language.
“Add second sink — $2,500”
No baseline, product, plumbing boundary, cabinetry/countertop effect, exclusions, payment effect, schedule, or evidence.
Describe the complete delta
Reference the single-sink original scope; identify the added fixture and exact rough-in; name cabinet/top modifications, supply/drain work, testing, excluded wall/finish repair, itemized addition, payment milestone, added days, and marked drawing.
“Credit for deleted light”
No fixture identity, deleted labor/material boundary, committed cost, remaining wiring treatment, credit, or revised total.
Show deletion and retained work
Identify the exact fixture; remove purchase/install scope; retain box, wiring, blank cover, and inspection as stated; show cancellation/restocking cost, net credit, revised price, and no schedule change.
Annotated example
Second vanity sink requested after rough-in
One centered sink
Original agreement and plumbing elevation identify one undermount sink, one faucet, and centered supply/drain rough-in.
Add left sink and faucet
Modify wall rough-in and vanity/top fabrication for the marked second position using listed fixture and faucet models.
+$2,480 and +4 days
Itemized plumbing, cabinet/top modification, fixture, tax, and credit; revised total and payment milestone shown; fabrication adds four calendar days.
Tile and hidden repair excluded
Marked wall opening and patch included; shower tile, structural modification, concealed damage, and work outside the elevation require separate approval.
Arithmetic audit
Make the money recomputable.
Total added work
Labor, materials, equipment, subcontract, tax, fees, and agreed adjustments.
Total credits
Deleted work and material credits less disclosed committed, cancellation, or restocking costs.
Additions minus credits
Show positive addition, negative credit, or exactly zero.
Previous total plus net
Carry the result into the revised contract price and payment schedule.
Research basis
Broadly useful fields and local requirements are not the same thing.
California CSLB guidance says covered change orders become part of the contract when prepared in writing and signed before changed work begins, and should describe changed scope, cost added or subtracted, and progress-payment effect. Oregon CCB’s sample identifies the original contract, parties, changed work, changed completion date, original and revised price, and dated acceptance.
Oregon consumer guidance also describes a change order as a contract amendment and recommends both parties sign it. Federal E-SIGN law generally prevents denying legal effect solely because a record or signature is electronic, while preserving other substantive and consumer-disclosure requirements.
- California CSLB: change-order requirements ↗
- Oregon CCB: sample change order ↗
- Oregon CCB: change-order consumer guidance ↗
- 15 U.S.C. 7001: electronic records and signatures ↗
Use this checklist as a drafting audit, then confirm the original agreement and project jurisdiction for required content, notices, format, timing, signatures, and payment rules.
Change-order inclusion questions
Does every change order need a price?
State the price effect, including zero when applicable. The agreement may require a particular pricing method or supporting detail.
Should deleted work be included?
Yes. Identify exactly what is removed, committed costs or materials, the credit calculation, and the remaining related work.
What if schedule impact is unknown?
State why, what information controls it, who will decide, the deadline, interim constraint, and how the final adjustment will be approved.
Are photos enough?
No. Photos support the record, but the written change should connect each image to location, condition, scope boundary, price, and authorization.
Before changed work
Run the audit, then collect the approval.
Use JobSign to connect the original scope, changed work, money, time, evidence, and signatures in one customer record.
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