Free Construction Change Order Template
Price the change line by line, add overhead and profit, and download a PDF for the owner to sign.
Change Order Amount
$20,815.00Line Items
Contract Sum
Contract Time
Assumptions
Overhead and profit applies to every line, credits included. The 15% example rate is not a standard: use the rate in your contract. To turn a margin target into that rate, use the markup vs margin calculator. Days are calendar days added to the original completion date. Amounts are in US dollars.
Free for builders and remodelers who change a signed contract. Updated October 2026. Results are estimates, not financial, legal, lending, or tax advice. See all free contractor tools.
What is a change order?
A change order is a signed amendment to a construction contract. It records a change to the scope of work, the contract price, or the schedule. The owner and the contractor sign it before the work starts, so both agree on the price and the time before money moves. After both sign, bill the change on the next invoice, from the construction invoice template or from Buildplus construction invoicing.
Formula and worked example
| 1 | Overhead and profitLine items × overhead and profit percent | $18,100.00 × 15% =$2,715.00 |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | Change order amountLine items + overhead and profit | $18,100.00 + $2,715.00 =$20,815.00 |
| 3 | New contract sumOriginal sum + earlier change orders + this change order | $850,000.00 + $23,500.00 + $20,815.00 =$894,315.00 |
What to include
The project, owner, contractor, and the architect or engineer if there is one. A number and a date. A plain description of the added, removed, or revised work and the drawing or request behind it. The price as line items with overhead and profit. The contract sum and completion date before and after the change. On a pay application, give each signed change order its own line.
Fixed-price or cost-plus
On a fixed-price job, every change in scope needs its own price and a signature before you build. On a cost-plus job, the client pays actual cost plus a fee, so the change order sets the estimate and the days added. Then bill the real cost and fee with a cost-plus invoice.
Common mistakes
Building the work before the change order is signed, so the price is open to dispute. One lump sum with no line items, so the client cannot see what changed. Forgetting the days, so a late finish looks like your delay. Leaving out earlier change orders, so the new contract sum is wrong.
Before Buildplus I would have to send my subcontractors multiple payments spread out over a couple of days to avoid hitting electronic transfer limits.
Now I can send one payment and be done. That convenience combined with the fact that payments are automatically tracked back to the right subcontract makes Buildplus a very elegant solution.
Cliff Kahan
Property Projects LLCFAQs
Who signs a change order?
The owner and the contractor sign every change order. If an architect or engineer administers the contract, they sign too, to confirm the change matches the design. Leave the architect line blank when there is none.
How much overhead and profit should I add to a change order?
Use the rate in your contract. If it does not set one, use the markup you used to price the original job, and show the rate on the change order so the client can see it.
Can a change order reduce the contract sum?
Yes. Enter removed work as a negative line item. The template applies overhead and profit to the credit and lowers the new contract sum. Check your contract, because some contracts do not return markup on deleted work.
Is this the same as an AIA G701 change order?
No. This is a free Buildplus template with its own wording and layout. It covers the same facts: the change, the contract sum before and after, the change in contract time, and signatures. If your contract requires a specific form, use that form. AIA and G701 are trademarks of The American Institute of Architects. Buildplus is not affiliated with or endorsed by AIA.
Where is my change order saved?
Your draft saves in this browser on this device. It is not sent to Buildplus and it is not in the page link. The first download asks for your contact details. Download the PDF to keep a copy with the project file.
What is Buildplus?
Buildplus is the payments, expenses and invoicing platform built for contractors running cost-plus jobs. Every payment, swipe and reimbursable expense stays tied to the project it belongs to.
© 2026 Buildplus. All rights reserved