Change order template: free generator

Every free change order template is a static Word or Excel file that leaves the math to you. This generator produces a signature-ready change order PDF and shows the ripple effect as you type — the new contract sum, and exactly what lines 2 and 3 of your next pay application become.

ProjectOwner / GC (to)Contractor (from)Change order no.DateTime added (calendar days)Original contract sum ($)Net of previous change orders ($)This change order ($, − for deduct)

Description of changeReason / justification

Contract sum before this CO: $0.00
This change order: $0.00
New contract sum: $0.00

On your next pay application: line 2 (net change by change orders) becomes $0.00 and line 3 (contract sum to date) becomes $0.00. Add the CO as its own SOV line so percent-complete stays observable.

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How to fill in a change order

Number it in sequence and reference the contract. Change order 1, 2, 3 per project, with the original contract date and the RFI or field directive that caused it. A reviewer should be able to trace the change back to a question that was asked.
Describe the scope change, not the argument. What is added, deleted or substituted, in the same units the schedule of values uses, so the amount can be checked line by line. Attach the takeoff or quote that supports the price.
Price it fully burdened, with markup stated. Labor at the burdened rate, material at quoted cost, equipment, and the overhead-and-profit percentage the contract allows on changes (often 10 to 15%). Show the math; a lump sum invites a counter.
State the time impact in days, even if zero. A change order that is silent on schedule is read as “no extension”, and you lose the right to claim the days later.
Bill it only after it is signed. Approved change orders move the contract sum on line 2 of the G702-style summary and get their own SOV line on the continuation sheet. Billing unapproved work as if it were approved is the fastest way to have the whole application returned.

Frequently asked questions

What is a change order in construction?

A change order is a written amendment to a construction contract that changes the scope of work, the contract sum, the contract time, or all three. Once signed by both parties it becomes part of the contract — which is why unpriced or unsigned 'we'll work it out later' changes are the most common way contractors lose money on a job.

What should a change order include?

At minimum: the project and parties, a change order number, the date, a clear description of the changed work (referencing drawings, RFIs, or site conditions), the price of the change (add or deduct), any time extension in calendar days, the running contract-sum math (original sum, previous change orders, new sum), and signature blocks for both parties.

How do change orders affect pay applications?

Approved change orders raise (or lower) the contract sum to date — line 2 and line 3 of a G702-style application. Best practice is to add each change order as its own schedule-of-values line so its percent complete is billed and observable separately. This generator shows you the updated pay-app figures as you type.

Should I do the work before the change order is signed?

Contractually, no — working from a verbal 'go ahead' means financing the change yourself and hoping. In practice schedule pressure wins sometimes; if you must proceed, document direction in writing (email counts), track the costs separately from day one, and submit the priced change order immediately. Unapproved change orders sitting in limbo are a leading cause of subcontractor cash-flow trouble.

How do you make a change order form?

A change order needs the project and contract identification, a sequential change order number and date, a plain description of the changed scope and why, the cost breakdown for the change, the resulting adjustment to the contract sum and to the schedule, running totals of the original contract, previous change orders and the new contract sum, and signature lines for the contractor and the owner or GC. The generator above fills all of that in and keeps the running totals correct across change orders.

Change orders that bill themselves

In BuiltSum, an approved change order updates the contract sum, adds its SOV line, and flows into the next pay application automatically.

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