Free change order template
This free change order template records a change to a signed job before the work changes. It points to the original contract, describes the change and the reason for it, prices the added or removed work line by line, and shows the new contract total and the days added. Both of you sign it. Download it for Excel or Google Sheets, print the blank PDF, or fill it in on this page.
- Free to use and change
- No email needed
- Updated October 2026
Or fill it in on this page and print it with your numbers.
Sierra Gutter Co.
(916) 555-0100
Change order
No. 1
- Contract
- No. 1042
- Reason
- Hidden damage found
- Days added
- 1
| Item | Qty | Rate | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| New fascia boards, run 1 (north edge) | 30 ft | $14.00 / ft | $420.00 |
| Paint the new fascia boards | 30 ft | $4.00 / ft | $120.00 |
The change Rotted fascia boards were found behind run 1 when the old gutters came off. Replace and paint them before the new gutters go up. The rest of the job stays as written.
A change to the sample gutter job, with the run measured by Measured Bid and sample rates. Not market prices.
What's in the template
The same change order in all three files and on this page, so a printed copy and the spreadsheet match.
On the change order
- Change order number and date
- The original contract number, date and amount
- Earlier change orders on the same job
- A description of the change and the reason
- Five lines for added or removed work
- Days added and the new completion date
- Customer and contractor signatures
How it adds up
- Each line is its quantity times its unit price, in cents
- A negative quantity takes work out and lowers the total
- Tax on the change, if your work is taxed
- The contract before this change is the original plus earlier change orders
- The new contract total is that amount plus this change
- A reason to pick: customer request, hidden damage, a code requirement, a material change or other
Tabs in the Excel file
- Change order
- The blank change order with its formulas. Yellow cells are yours to fill in.
- Example
- Rotted fascia found behind a gutter run on the sample job, priced and added to the contract.
Fill it in and print it
Type in the change order and it totals itself. Print it blank for the clipboard, or filled in for the customer. Nothing you type leaves your browser.
How to fill it out
Point to the contract
Write the contract or estimate number, its date and its amount. Add up any earlier change orders on the same job.
Describe the change and why
Say what changes, where on the house, and what stays the same. Pick the reason, such as a customer request or damage found once the work started.
Price it line by line
Use the same units and rates as the original estimate where you can. Take work out with a negative quantity.
Show the time it adds
Write the days added and the new completion date, so the schedule changes in writing along with the price.
Sign before the work changes
Both of you sign and date it before the changed work starts. Then it becomes part of the job's paperwork.
How the sample was worked out
- Run 1, measured from the address
- 30 ft
- Fascia board rate (fascia template sample)
- $14 / ft
- Fascia paint rate (fascia template sample)
- $4 / ft
- Original contract (gutter template sample)
- $3,726
Run length measured by the Measured Bid engine on the sample house, priced at sample rates.
What every change order should include
- The original contract number and date
- A description of the change
- The reason for it
- The cost of each added or removed item
- Tax, if it applies
- The new contract total
- Days added and the new completion date
- How the change will be paid
- Both signatures, dated before the work changes
Reference: CSLB: home improvement contracts in California (checked October 2026)
This template is not legal advice. Some states set rules for home improvement contracts, such as what a contract must say and how big a deposit can be. Check yours.
Measure the change from the office
Measured Bid numbers each gutter run and roof edge it measures from the address, so a change on one run already has a length. The sample change order prices one run of the sample house that way.
FAQ
What is a change order?
A change order is a signed addition to a contract that changes its scope, price or schedule. It says what changes, why, what it costs or saves, how many days it adds and the new contract total.
Does a change order have to be in writing?
Put every change in writing. In California, the Contractors State License Board says a change to the price or scope of a home improvement contract must be a written change order, signed by the customer and the contractor before the change, and it becomes part of the contract. Check your state's rules.
Can a contractor request a change order?
Yes. The contractor writes most change orders, often when hidden damage turns up or a code requirement comes up once the work starts. The customer can ask for one too. Either way, both of you sign it before the changed work starts.
How do I price a change order?
Use the same units and rates as the original estimate, so the customer can check them. Add a line for any extra trip or setup. Take work out with a negative quantity.
How do I place a change order?
Stop the changed part of the work, write the change order with its price and days, have the customer sign it, then do the work. Bill it on the next invoice as its own line.
Does it work in Google Sheets?
Yes. In Google Sheets, choose File, then Import, and upload the .xlsx file. The formulas, dropdowns and every tab come with it. The CSV imports too, with the formulas and without the example tabs.
Start every job with the runs measured
Measured Bid measures each run from the address and prices it with your rates, so the estimate and any change to it use the same numbers.
14 days or 5 estimates free, whichever comes first. No card needed.