Construction Change Order Template
Download a construction change order template to document scope changes, pricing, schedule impacts, approvals, contract adjustments, and project records.
Document Construction Scope Changes Clearly
A construction change order provides a formal record of approved modifications to a construction contract. Whether the change affects the scope of work, materials, labour, equipment, schedule, or contract value, documenting it properly helps contractors and customers maintain an accurate project record and avoid payment disputes.
This Construction Change Order Template is designed for subcontractors, specialty contractors, general contractors, project managers, quantity surveyors, contract administrators, estimators, and commercial teams. It can be used for customer-requested changes, design revisions, unforeseen site conditions, value engineering, additional work, deductive changes, and schedule extensions.
What Is a Construction Change Order?
A construction change order is a written agreement that modifies the original contract after work has begun. It records what is changing, why the change is necessary, how it affects cost and time, and who approved it.
A complete change order should clearly define the revised scope, supporting pricing, schedule impact, drawings or specification references, and approval history before the work is performed whenever possible.
When to Use This Template
- Customer-requested design changes
- Additional work outside the original contract
- Deductive changes that reduce project scope
- Unforeseen site conditions requiring revised work
- Specification or drawing revisions
- Material substitutions
- Value engineering proposals
- Schedule extensions or acceleration requests
- Pricing adjustments caused by approved changes
- Final contract reconciliation
Who Should Use This Template?
This template is suitable for subcontractors, specialty contractors, general contractors, construction managers, project managers, estimators, quantity surveyors, contract administrators, commercial managers, and contract administrators responsible for documenting contract changes.
It can be adapted for electrical, plumbing, HVAC, fire protection, roofing, concrete, structural steel, framing, drywall, painting, flooring, glazing, waterproofing, masonry, excavation, demolition, landscaping, civil works, and other construction trades.
What a Construction Change Order Should Include
| Change Order Section | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Project Information | Identifies the customer, contractor, project, contract, purchase order, and change-order number. |
| Change Description | Clearly explains the proposed change and the revised scope of work. |
| Reason for Change | Documents why the modification is required, including customer requests or unforeseen conditions. |
| Pricing Breakdown | Shows labour, materials, equipment, subcontractors, overhead, profit, tax, and total adjustment. |
| Schedule Impact | Records additional days, revised milestones, acceleration requirements, or completion-date changes. |
| Supporting References | Links drawings, specifications, RFIs, site instructions, photographs, estimates, and correspondence. |
| Contract Adjustment | Calculates the revised contract value after approved additions or deductions. |
| Approval Record | Captures signatures, approval dates, and revision history. |
How to Use the Template
- Enter the contractor, customer, project, contract, and change-order reference information.
- Describe the proposed change and explain why it is required.
- Reference the affected drawings, specifications, RFIs, site instructions, or contract clauses.
- Prepare a detailed breakdown of labour, materials, equipment, subcontractors, and other direct costs.
- Apply any agreed overhead, profit, tax, or contractual markups.
- Record the effect on milestones, project duration, or completion dates.
- Calculate the revised contract value after the adjustment.
- Attach supporting estimates, sketches, photographs, supplier quotations, or technical documents.
- Obtain the required approvals before proceeding with the revised work where the contract requires it.
- Update the project budget, schedule of values, payment applications, and project records once the change is approved.
A plumbing subcontractor receives a revised drawing requiring additional sanitary pipework and four extra floor drains. The change order includes 36 labour hours, additional pipe and fittings, lifting equipment, revised testing requirements, and a three-day extension to the installation programme. After approval, the contract value increases by £7,850 and the revised completion milestone is recorded.
Best Practices for Construction Change Orders
- Assign a unique change-order number for every modification.
- Clearly distinguish additions, deductions, and substitutions.
- Reference the exact drawings, specifications, RFIs, or instructions that caused the change.
- Provide transparent pricing with supporting calculations.
- Document any schedule impact separately from the cost adjustment.
- Keep pending and approved change orders separate.
- Update contract values only after formal approval.
- Maintain revision history rather than replacing previous versions.
- Store all supporting documents with the approved change order.
- Reconcile approved changes with payment applications and final accounts.
Common Change Order Mistakes
- Beginning additional work before receiving approval
- Using vague descriptions of the revised scope
- Failing to include labour or material pricing details
- Ignoring schedule impacts
- Mixing approved and pending changes together
- Failing to update the revised contract value
- Not attaching supporting documents or quotations
- Using duplicate change-order numbers
- Overwriting approved records without revision control
- Failing to carry approved changes into payment applications and final billing
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the purpose of a construction change order?
A construction change order formally records approved changes to a contract, including scope, pricing, schedule impacts, and revised contract values.
Can a change order reduce the contract value?
Yes. Deductive change orders remove work from the contract and reduce the contract value while documenting the revised scope.
Should change orders include schedule impacts?
Yes. If the revised work affects milestones, sequencing, or completion dates, the additional or reduced contract time should be documented clearly.
What supporting documents are commonly attached?
Supporting records often include revised drawings, specifications, RFIs, estimates, supplier quotations, photographs, engineering sketches, site instructions, and customer correspondence.
How are approved changes reflected in payment applications?
Once approved, the revised contract value and associated work can be incorporated into the schedule of values, payment applications, progress invoices, and final account reconciliation.
Should pending changes be billed?
That depends on the contract. Many projects require formal approval before billing, while others may allow provisional valuation under specific contract terms. Always follow the applicable contract requirements.
Maintain Accurate Contract Change Records
A structured construction change order helps contractors document scope modifications, pricing adjustments, schedule impacts, and approvals while maintaining an accurate contract history. Clear documentation also supports payment applications, progress billing, and final account reconciliation.
An XLSX workbook provides a practical way to prepare, track, and manage construction change orders throughout a project. As projects progress, SimplySub can help subcontractors organise estimates, jobs, change orders, purchase orders, time records, expenses, invoices, documents, and job-cost information.