Subcontractor Change Order Template
Download a subcontractor change order template to document additional work, deductive changes, pricing, schedule impacts, approvals, and subcontract value adjustments.
Manage Subcontract Changes with Clear Documentation
A subcontractor change order provides a formal record of approved changes to a subcontract agreement. Whether additional work is requested, the project scope changes, materials are substituted, or unforeseen site conditions require revised work, documenting the change helps protect both the subcontractor and the customer while maintaining an accurate commercial record.
This Subcontractor Change Order Template is designed for subcontractors, specialty contractors, trade contractors, project managers, estimators, quantity surveyors, contract administrators, and commercial teams. It supports customer-requested variations, additional work, deductive changes, design revisions, site condition changes, material substitutions, and schedule adjustments.
What Is a Subcontractor Change Order?
A subcontractor change order is a written document that modifies the scope, value, or duration of an existing subcontract. It records the reason for the change, revised work requirements, pricing, schedule impacts, supporting documents, and approval history.
Once approved, the change order becomes part of the subcontract and should be reflected in project budgets, payment applications, invoices, schedules of values, and final account reconciliation.
When to Use This Template
- Additional work requested by the contractor or customer
- Deductive changes that reduce subcontract scope
- Design revisions or updated drawings
- Unforeseen site conditions affecting the subcontract
- Material or equipment substitutions
- Approved value engineering proposals
- Schedule extensions or acceleration requests
- Adjustments to subcontract pricing or quantities
- Contract-value reconciliation
- Final account preparation
Who Should Use This Template?
This template is suitable for subcontractors, specialty contractors, trade contractors, project managers, estimators, quantity surveyors, commercial managers, and contract administrators responsible for documenting changes to subcontract work.
It can be adapted for electrical, plumbing, HVAC, roofing, fire protection, concrete, steelwork, drywall, painting, flooring, glazing, waterproofing, masonry, demolition, excavation, landscaping, civil works, and other specialist construction trades.
What a Subcontractor Change Order Should Include
| Change Order Section | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Subcontract Information | Identifies the subcontractor, contractor, project, subcontract agreement, and change-order reference. |
| Change Description | Defines the revised work and identifies the affected scope. |
| Reason for Change | Records the circumstances requiring the subcontract modification. |
| Cost Breakdown | Separates labour, materials, equipment, subcontractor costs, overhead, profit, tax, and the total adjustment. |
| Programme Impact | Documents any changes to project milestones, sequencing, or completion dates. |
| Supporting Documents | References drawings, specifications, RFIs, quotations, site instructions, photographs, and correspondence. |
| Subcontract Adjustment | Calculates the revised subcontract value following approved additions or deductions. |
| Approvals | Captures signatures, approval dates, and revision history. |
How to Use the Template
- Enter the subcontractor, contractor, project, subcontract, and change-order information.
- Describe the proposed change and explain why it is required.
- Reference the relevant drawings, specifications, RFIs, site instructions, or contract clauses.
- Prepare a detailed pricing breakdown for labour, materials, equipment, subcontracted services, and other costs.
- Apply agreed overhead, profit, and tax where permitted by the subcontract.
- Record any impact on programme milestones, sequencing, or completion dates.
- Calculate the revised subcontract value.
- Attach supporting quotations, sketches, photographs, supplier pricing, and technical documentation.
- Obtain the required approvals before carrying out the revised work.
- Update payment applications, schedules of values, invoices, budgets, and project records after approval.
An HVAC subcontractor receives revised mechanical drawings requiring additional ductwork and fire dampers. The change order includes 42 labour hours, extra sheet metal, lifting equipment, testing requirements, and a two-day programme extension. Following approval, the subcontract value increases by £9,450 and the revised completion milestone is incorporated into the project schedule.
Best Practices for Subcontractor Change Orders
- Assign a unique sequential change-order number.
- Clearly identify additions, deductions, and substitutions.
- Reference the drawings, specifications, RFIs, or instructions that prompted the change.
- Provide transparent pricing supported by calculations or supplier quotations.
- Document schedule impacts separately from cost adjustments.
- Maintain separate registers for pending and approved changes.
- Update subcontract values only after formal approval.
- Retain revision history for every issued version.
- Keep supporting documents together with the approved record.
- Reconcile approved changes with invoices, payment applications, and the final account.
Common Subcontractor Change Order Mistakes
- Starting additional work before receiving required approval
- Providing incomplete descriptions of the revised work
- Failing to include supporting pricing information
- Ignoring programme or milestone impacts
- Mixing approved and pending changes together
- Failing to update the revised subcontract value
- Omitting supporting documents or quotations
- Using duplicate change-order references
- Replacing approved records without revision control
- Failing to update payment applications or final billing after approval
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a subcontractor change order?
A subcontractor change order formally records approved changes to a subcontract, including revised scope, pricing, schedule impacts, and the updated subcontract value.
Can a subcontract change reduce the contract value?
Yes. Deductive change orders remove work from the subcontract and reduce the agreed subcontract value while documenting the revised scope.
Should programme impacts be recorded?
Yes. If the change affects milestones, sequencing, or completion dates, the additional or reduced contract time should be recorded as part of the change order.
What documents usually support a subcontract change order?
Supporting documents commonly include revised drawings, specifications, RFIs, supplier quotations, site instructions, photographs, estimates, and customer correspondence.
How do approved changes affect payment applications?
Approved changes should be reflected in updated schedules of values, payment applications, invoices, job-cost records, and final account reconciliation to maintain consistent project records.
Can pending changes be billed?
That depends on the subcontract terms. Many agreements require written approval before billing additional work, while others may permit provisional valuation in specific circumstances. Always follow the subcontract requirements.
Maintain Accurate Records of Every Subcontract Change
A structured subcontractor change order provides a clear record of approved scope changes, pricing adjustments, programme impacts, and revised subcontract values. It supports accurate billing, commercial management, and project closeout while helping reduce disputes.
An XLSX workbook provides a practical way to prepare and manage subcontract change orders throughout a project. As work progresses, SimplySub can help subcontractors organise estimates, jobs, change orders, purchase orders, time records, expenses, invoices, documents, and job-cost information.