Document a change to the scope of work, with the cost and schedule impact, and get it approved before doing the work.
Unapproved extra work is the most common source of unpaid invoices in contracting. A signed change order prevents the argument.
Your contract may set specific change order rules. Follow them.
16 items. Complete it digitally or on paper, whichever your team prefers.
During a bathroom remodel, rotten subfloor is found under the tub. The contractor writes a change order for 6 labor hours and materials, adds one day to the schedule and starts after the homeowner signs.
Most construction contracts say the scope, price and schedule can only change by written, signed agreement. A signed change order is what lets the contractor bill the extra and lets the owner see the revised contract total before the work begins.
| Project and client | Kitchen remodel, 88 Birch Ln, Charlotte; client Nina |
|---|---|
| Change order number | CO-03 |
| Description and reason | Move sink 3 ft to new island; client request |
| Labor | 10 h at $65 = $650 |
| Materials | $420 supply lines, drain and fittings |
| Markup and total | 15% of $1,070 = $160.50; total $1,230.50 |
| Schedule impact | Adds 2 days |
Markup is applied to labor plus materials ($1,070), and the reason line says client request, which tells everyone this is an added cost rather than a hidden condition.
Risky; your contract may not allow payment.
Scope, cost, time and signatures.
Depends on your contract; a signed form is clearer.
Use your labor cost and contract rates.
Show it as its own line, applied to the cost items the contract allows, often labor and materials. For example, a 15 percent markup on $1,070 of cost adds $160.50. Burying markup inside the labor rate tends to cause disputes when the client compares change orders.
Do not start the extra work unless the contract has a process for disputed changes, such as proceeding under a written directive with costs tracked. Write down the condition, the price offered and the refusal with the date. Unsigned extras are some of the hardest amounts to collect later.
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Use the change order form for the record you need today. To see who clocked in, and when, book a demo of EZTime.