Every scope change on a job site should get written down before work starts — what changed, what it costs, how it affects the schedule, and who agreed to it. This is a plain, printable change order template you can fill in by hand or on-screen. No sign-up required.
A change order template is a standardized document contractors reuse for every scope change on a job — new request, added cost, updated schedule, both signatures. Instead of writing a new document from scratch each time a client asks for something outside the original contract, you fill in the same set of fields. That consistency is what makes a change order hold up if a client later disputes what was agreed.
Want the concept explained end to end — when a change order is needed, who signs it, how it differs from the original contract? Read What Is a Change Order?. If you want a breakdown of exactly which fields belong on the form (and why), see the change order form guide.
The template below works best filled out while you're still standing in the room with the client — waiting until you're back at the shop is how change orders get forgotten or disputed. Keep the description short and specific, round the schedule impact to the nearest half day, and read the total out loud before you ask for a signature so there's no confusion later.
This template is provided as a general starting point and isn't legal advice — for large or disputed changes, have your attorney review the language you use.
A signed change order is a written amendment to your contract, so yes — once both parties sign it, it becomes part of the legal record of what was agreed. What makes it enforceable is a clear description of the change, the price, and both signatures, not the specific paper it's printed on.
No, for routine scope changes most contractors fill this out themselves. For unusual situations (large disputes, contract terminations, insurance claims) it's worth having an attorney review the language before you send it.
They cover the same ground. "Template" usually means a ready-to-print document like this one; "form" usually means the underlying field list. See our change order form guide for a field-by-field breakdown.
That's what ChangeOrder is for — speak the change on-site, it prices it and gets it signed digitally, and a PDF version of a document like this one is emailed to you and the client automatically.