Construction Change Order Form

What this construction change order form is for

Document one proposed change to the agreed construction scope, including its reason, price adjustment, effect on completion, and approval. Connect the change order number to the original contract and the supporting estimate, drawing, or instruction.

Use this form for the detail and approval of one change. Use a change order log to track multiple changes and their status, and a project schedule to record the resulting activity dates. A punch list records remaining work at handoff; it does not by itself approve a scope or price change.

An order authorizes or requests specific work or materials. It should connect to the applicable estimate, agreement, service record, delivery, and invoice rather than stand alone without context.

When to use it—and who completes it

The project manager or contract administrator prepares the record using input from the affected trades. The owner and contractor representatives with authority under the agreement review the adjustment and complete the required approval.

Prepare the change order when changed work is identified and follow the contract's notice and authorization process. Track a proposal as pending until the required approval is recorded, then communicate the accepted scope and dates to the affected team.

The exact signer or reviewer depends on company policy, contract authority, qualifications, and the job. Preserve an issued version when information changes instead of silently replacing the history.

Fields and sections included

The printable, fillable PDF uses the same source definition as this preview. It includes these practical fields:

How to complete the form

Complete the identification fields first, then record the controlling details, exceptions, next action, and approval.

1. 1

   Identify the correct customer, property, job, and related contract before completing the order.

2. 2

   Record the construction change order form information from current job records rather than memory or an earlier version.

3. 3

   Complete the original contract and change reference, change description and reason, price and schedule adjustment fields for this specific workflow; attach supporting detail when the available space is not enough.

4. 4

   Use clear quantities, dates, references, observations, and responsible parties; mark items not applicable instead of leaving ambiguous blanks.

5. 5

   Review totals, scope boundaries, exceptions, attachments, and required approvals with the people responsible for the next step.

6. 6

   Save the completed record with the job file and distribute the current version to affected parties.

Before issuing the document, check names, dates, identifiers, totals, references, attachments, and signature blocks. A blank space can be mistaken for an oversight; mark an item not applicable when that is the intended answer.

A completed construction change order form example

Blue Ridge Contracting uses this construction change order form for a kitchen and first-floor renovation. Use this form for the detail and approval of one change. Use a change order log to track multiple changes and their status, and a project schedule to record the resulting activity dates. A punch list records remaining work at handoff; it does not by itself approve a scope or price change. The fictional example identifies the job, records controlling details, notes an exception, assigns follow-up, and obtains the appropriate acknowledgment without presenting the template as an official or universally compliant form.

All companies, people, customers, projects, dates, numbers, and contact details shown in this example are fictional and use non-operational example information.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Dispatching work without the correct property or asset
• Leaving price authority and scope unclear
• Failing to capture work performed and customer acknowledgment
• Separating the order from its service report or invoice
• Closing an order with unresolved follow-up

Storage, follow-up, and handoff

Name the file with the job or property, document type, date, and revision so the current version can be distinguished without opening it. Store it with the related agreement, estimate, report, photographs, correspondence, approval, and invoice—not in a detached downloads folder.

Send the issued record to the people responsible for the next action and record open exceptions with an owner and due date. When an item is resolved, preserve evidence of closure. For long-running logs and schedules, establish who owns updates and how changes are communicated. For signed or certified records, retain the completed copy in the format and period required by the contract, company policy, insurer, manufacturer, or applicable law.

Questions about this order