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Business operationsGeneral (US)Original PDFBetter template

Change order

For contractors, subcontractors and owners changing the scope of a project already under contract. The change order describes what changes and why, prices it line by line, states the effect on the schedule, and rolls the result into a revised contract sum, so both parties agree in writing before the work is done.

Fields
50
Pages
2
Paper
Letter
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Before you start

What you need to fill it in

  • The original contract date and amount
  • The total of previously approved change orders
  • A clear description of the change and the reason for it
  • Itemized cost of the change (credits as negative numbers)
  • Days added to or removed from the schedule

What's inside

50 fields, ready to fill

  • 33Typed answersnames, addresses, descriptions
  • 5Dateschecked as real dates
  • 9Calculatedfill themselves from other fields
  • 1Choicescheckboxes, options, dropdowns
  • 2Signaturessignature and initials

9 required — the editor counts down how many are left while you fill.

Instructions

How to fill out the Change order

  1. 1

    Reference the contract

    Enter the project, contract date, change order number and who requested the change.

  2. 2

    Describe the change

    Explain what is added, removed or substituted, and why, such as owner request or a hidden condition found during demolition.

  3. 3

    Price it

    List each cost item with quantity and unit cost. Enter credits for deleted work as negative amounts.

  4. 4

    State the schedule impact

    Enter days added (or a negative number for days saved). The new completion date should reflect it.

  5. 5

    Update the contract sum

    Enter the original contract sum and previous change orders. The revised contract sum calculates.

  6. 6

    Sign before work starts

    Owner and contractor sign. Send with Request signatures if the owner is off site.

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What filling it looks like

The PDFBetter editor in Edit & fill mode: an invoice template with the bill-to details and line items typed in, and each amount calculated from quantity and unit price
  1. Edit & fill, Invite to sign and Create form are three modes of the same editor
  2. Amounts are formula fields: they calculate as you type
  3. The field navigator counts what's left and jumps to the next field

Shown with our invoice template. Sample content; names are fictional.

Written for: General (US)

This is a general-purpose template. Check that its terms and fields match your situation and any rules that apply where you use it before you rely on it.

Written by PDFBetter and last reviewed October 15, 2026. Spotted a problem? Tell us.

Change order: questions people ask

Why sign before the work is done?

Unsigned changes are the most common source of construction payment disputes. Many contracts say unapproved extra work will not be paid.

Can a change order reduce the price?

Yes. Enter deleted work as negative amounts; the revised contract sum goes down.

Does the architect need to sign?

On projects with an architect or engineer administering the contract, they often sign too. Add their signature if your contract requires it.

Should markup be included?

If your contract allows overhead and profit on changes, add it as its own line so the owner can see it.

Ready when you are

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