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Free contract Template

Construction Change Order Template

Professional construction change order template for documenting scope, cost, and schedule modifications.

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# Construction Change Order

**Original Contract:** _______________ (date: _______________)
**Project:** _______________________________________
**Project Address:** _______________________________________

| Change Order # | Date | Owner | Contractor |
|---|---|---|---|
| CO-_____ | _______ | _______________ | _______________ |

---

## 1. Description of Change

### Requested by

☐ Owner
☐ Architect / Designer
☐ Engineer
☐ Contractor (field condition)
☐ Code official / Inspector
☐ Other: _______________

### Reason for change

_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________

### Detailed scope of changes

_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________

### Work to be ADDED to original contract

_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________

### Work to be DELETED from original contract

_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________

### Drawings / specifications affected

☐ Drawing(s) attached: _______________
☐ Specification sections affected: _______________
☐ Revised drawings will follow within _____ days
☐ No drawing changes required

---

## 2. Cost Breakdown

### Added Work

| Item | Description | Quantity | Unit Cost | Subtotal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labor | | _____ hrs | $_____ | $_____ |
| Materials | | | | $_____ |
| Subcontractor | | | | $_____ |
| Equipment | | | | $_____ |
| Other | | | | $_____ |
| **Direct cost subtotal** | | | | **$_____** |
| Overhead (_____%) | | | | $_____ |
| Profit (_____%) | | | | $_____ |
| **Total addition** | | | | **$_____** |

### Deleted Work (Credit to Owner)

| Item | Description | Subtotal |
|---|---|---|
| | | $_____ |
| | | $_____ |
| **Credit subtotal** | | **$_____** |

### Net Change

| | |
|---|---|
| Added | + $_____ |
| Deleted | - $_____ |
| **Net change in contract value** | **$_____** |

---

## 3. Contract Value Adjustment

| | |
|---|---|
| Original contract sum | $_____ |
| Net change from previous COs | $_____ |
| Contract sum prior to this CO | $_____ |
| Net change this CO | $_____ |
| **NEW CONTRACT SUM** | **$_____** |

---

## 4. Schedule Impact

### Time Extension Requested

☐ No time extension required (work fits within current schedule)
☐ Time extension requested: _____ calendar days (or _____ working days)

**Original substantial completion date:** _______________
**Revised substantial completion date:** _______________

### Schedule activities affected

_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________

### Critical path impact

☐ Change affects critical path
☐ Change does not affect critical path

### Subcontractors affected

| Subcontractor | Impact | Schedule Change |
|---|---|---|
| | | _____ days |
| | | _____ days |

---

## 5. Reason / Justification

### Justification for cost

_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________

### Backup documentation attached

☐ Subcontractor quotes
☐ Material price quotes (from suppliers)
☐ Labor estimate with rates
☐ Photos / field documentation
☐ Engineering / design changes
☐ Code compliance requirements
☐ Other: _______________

---

## 6. Special Conditions

☐ This change requires owner-provided items: _______________
☐ Specific scheduling required: _______________
☐ Inspection required after this work: _______________
☐ Affected by other ongoing trades: _______________
☐ Permit modification required: _______________
☐ HOA / utility approval required before proceeding: _______________

---

## 7. Owner / Architect Comments

_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________

---

## 8. Approval

### Approval to Proceed

Owner must approve change order before work proceeds. Verbal approvals are NOT binding — written approval required.

If owner has not approved within _____ business days, contractor:
☐ Will proceed with original scope (skip changes)
☐ Will continue at risk pending approval (NOT recommended)
☐ Will stop work in affected areas only
☐ Other: _______________

### Acknowledgments

Owner acknowledges that:
- Contract sum will be modified as shown above
- Project schedule may be impacted as shown above
- All other contract terms remain in effect
- Final payment will reflect this change order
- This change is binding upon signature by both parties

---

## 9. Signatures

### Owner / Owner's Representative
Signature: _______________________________
Printed: _______________________________
Title: _______________
Date: __________

### Architect / Engineer (if required for approval)
Signature: _______________________________
Printed: _______________________________
Title: _______________
Date: __________

### General Contractor
Signature: _______________________________
Printed: _______________________________
Title: _______________
Date: __________
Contractor License #: _______________

---

## Summary of Change Orders to Date

| CO # | Date | Description | Net Change | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | | | $_____ | $_____ |
| 2 | | | $_____ | $_____ |
| 3 | | | $_____ | $_____ |
| **TOTAL** | | | **$_____** | **$_____** |

---

*This change order is part of the original contract documents. Retain all change orders for permanent project records and final closeout.*

*Original contract terms regarding payment schedule, warranty, lien rights, and dispute resolution continue to apply to this changed work.*

*For complex changes involving significant cost or schedule, consider involving construction attorney or consultant to ensure proper documentation.*

What's Included

This construction change order template includes 5 pre-built sections:

  • 1. Description of Change
  • 2. Cost Breakdown
  • 3. Schedule Impact
  • 4. Owner Approval
  • 5. Updated Contract Value

How to Use This Template

  1. 1
    Download the format you prefer.

    Word (.docx) for desktop editing, PDF for printing, Google Docs for cloud collaboration.

  2. 2
    Customize with your business info.

    Add your logo, business address, license number, and insurance information.

  3. 3
    Fill in project-specific details.

    Each section has placeholders showing what to include. Replace with your actual project info.

  4. 4
    Get signatures and store.

    Always get both parties to sign and date. Keep digital and printed copies.

How to use a contract that actually works

A contract is the document you hope you never need and are grateful for when you do. Its job is to make the terms — scope, price, timeline, change orders, and what happens when something goes wrong — clear enough that a stranger could read it and know who owes what. For contractors, the clauses that matter most are the ones covering change orders, payment timing, and dispute resolution, because that's where the money actually gets lost.

Filling it out — what matters

  • Define how change orders work in writing — who approves them, how they're priced, and that no extra work happens without a signed change order.
  • Tie payments to milestones and put a late-payment term in. A stated finance charge on overdue balances is your leverage when a customer drags.
  • Include your license number, insurance, and warranty terms. These are trust signals and, in many states, legally required disclosures.
  • Add a dispute-resolution clause. Mediation-first language keeps a disagreement out of court and is far cheaper for both sides.

Common mistakes on a contract

  • ✗ No change-order clause — the number one way contractors do unpaid extra work.
  • ✗ Silent on late payment, so you have no stated remedy when an invoice goes past due.
  • ✗ Missing license/insurance disclosures required in many states.
  • ✗ Using it as-is without a local attorney review on a high-value job.

A note on using this as a legal document

This template is a general starting point, not legal advice. Contract law varies by state, by trade, and by the specific facts of each job. Before you use contract language with a new customer — and especially on a significant project — have a licensed attorney in your state review and adapt it for your business. See our full terms of use.

💡 Pro Tip: Graduate to Software

Templates work great for low-volume contractors. Once you're handling 10+ jobs/month, software like BuilderTrend or Procore will save you 5-10 hours per week by auto-generating proposals from your project data.

See best Construction software →

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this Construction Change Order Template really free?

Yes — completely free, no email signup or paywall. Download in Word, PDF, or Google Docs format.

Can I customize this template?

Absolutely. Open in Word or Google Docs and edit all sections to fit your specific Construction business.

Is this legally binding once signed?

This is a general informational template, not legal advice. A properly completed, signed, and dated agreement can be enforceable, but contract law varies by state and trade. For any significant project, have a licensed attorney in your state review and adapt it for your business.

What software should I pair with this template?

Most Construction contractors graduate from templates to software like BuilderTrend when their volume exceeds 10-20 jobs/month.