How to Write a Change Order That Protects You and Gets Paid

The Conversation Nobody Wants to Have (But Everyone Needs)

You're three days into a kitchen renovation and behind the wall you find galvanized pipes that need replacing before you can proceed. The original estimate didn't include this. The customer is standing right there. You need $1,200 more to do the job right — but the original contract says $4,500 and you haven't talked about changes.

This moment, and every version of it across every trade, is where contractors lose money, damage customer relationships, and create disputes. Change orders exist to handle it professionally. A well-written change order turns an awkward conversation into a straightforward business transaction.

What a Change Order Is (and Isn't)

A change order is a written amendment to the original contract that describes new or modified scope, the associated cost change, and the revised timeline. It requires the customer's signature before work on the changed scope begins.

A change order is not a verbal agreement, not a text message, and not you absorbing the extra cost because the conversation felt awkward. Verbal scope changes lead to disputes over what was agreed. Absorbing extra costs trains customers to expect it.

When to Use a Change Order

• Hidden conditions discovered mid-job (rotten framing, old wiring, asbestos, unexpected pipe materials)
• Customer requests additional work beyond the original scope ("while you're here, can you also...")
• Customer selects a different material or finish grade than originally specified
• Access complications that require more labor (scaffolding, permits, re-scheduling)
• Original scope must be reduced (customer wants to defer a phase)
• Timeline changes requested by the customer that affect your scheduling costs

What a Change Order Must Include

How to Present a Change Order to a Customer

The way you present a change order matters as much as what's in it. Customers who feel ambushed by additional costs become difficult — even if the change is entirely reasonable. Here's a framework that works:

Step 1: Explain the Discovery First

Walk the customer through what you found before mentioning money. Show them the hidden pipes, the rotten framing, the undersized wire — whatever triggered the change. Let them understand the problem before you present the solution and its cost.

Step 2: Explain Why It Affects the Job

Connect the discovery to the original scope. "To proceed safely and to code, we need to address this before we can close the wall. The original estimate assumed the existing plumbing was functional — this is new information neither of us had."

Step 3: Present Options When Possible

If there are options (defer the fix, partial repair vs. full repair, different materials), present them with costs. Customers who feel they have a choice accept changes more readily than customers who feel they're being told what to pay.

Step 4: Present the Written Change Order

Hand them the change order — ideally on a tablet or phone — and walk through the line items. "Here's what we're adding: $X for materials, $X for labor, bringing the new total to $X. If you're comfortable proceeding, I just need your signature here."

What Happens If You Don't Use Change Orders

Without a signed change order, you have no documentation that the customer agreed to the additional scope and cost. The most common outcomes: the customer disputes the final invoice, refuses to pay the additional amount, or leaves a negative review claiming you gave them a higher bill than quoted. All three outcomes are far more expensive than the five minutes it takes to document a change properly.

Fieldbase lets you create and send change orders directly from the job site — the customer can review and sign on their phone, and the signed document is automatically attached to the job record.