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Free change order maker for contractors and home-service pros

Scope changed mid-job? Put it in writing before you do the extra work. Fill in what's changing and why, add the extra work and any credits, and get a one-page change order with the new contract total, the schedule change, and lines for both signatures. Print it or save it as a PDF. No signup, and nothing you type leaves your browser.

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Your business details are saved in this browser and shared with the estimate maker and invoice maker, so you only type them once. Made the estimate for this job here? Start from it and the customer, job, and original amount come over.

1. Your business

Add your logo (optional)PNG or JPG. Your logo stays in this browser. It is never uploaded.

2. Customer and original job

3. Change order number and date

4. What's changing and why

5. Added work and credits

Added work

+ Add a line

Credits for work taken off the job (optional)

+ Add a credit

Type credits as positive numbers. They are subtracted for you. Leave Qty blank for a flat price line.

6. Contract total

7. Schedule and payment

8. Notes and terms

Put the example terms back

10. Send it

Save the change order as a PDF, then send it with one of these before you start the extra work. Your customer's first name, the job, the change, its price, the new total, your business, and your name are filled in from the change order. Anything still in [brackets] is yours to finish.

More ways to word it, plus a text for when you're waiting on a part, are on the change order texts page. Need to explain bad news first? See hard conversations. When the job is done, bill it with the free invoice maker and click "Add an approved change order." See all seven on the free tools page.

Change order questions, answered plainly

What is a change order?

A change order is a short written agreement to change a job after the price was set. It says what's changing and why, what it adds or takes off the price, how it affects the schedule, and the new total for the whole job. You and the customer both sign it, and it becomes part of the original agreement.

When do I need a change order?

Any time the work, the price, or the schedule changes after the customer said yes. The usual reasons: the customer asks for something extra or different, you find a problem you couldn't see before you started (like rot behind a wall), or the inspector or building code requires more work. Put it in writing before you do the extra work, even for small changes. Some states require written, signed change orders on home improvement jobs, so check your local rules.

What's the difference between a change order and a new estimate?

A new estimate prices a new job. A change order adjusts a job that's already agreed to, so it points back to the original estimate or contract and shows the original amount, any earlier changes, this change, and the new total. If the customer wants a separate job later, like a second bathroom next spring, write a new estimate with the free estimate maker instead.

Should I get it signed before I do the work?

Yes. Stop, explain the change, and get a signature or a written yes before you start the extra work. If you do it first and ask later, you either eat the cost or surprise the customer with a bigger bill. A signed printout, a signed PDF, or a text that says yes to the change order you sent all leave a record. Save it with the job.

How does a change order affect the final invoice?

The new contract total is what you bill for the whole job. On the final invoice, list the original work and add a line for each approved change order, minus any deposit or payments already made. If you picked "Due when approved," bill the change right away instead. In the free invoice maker, the "Add an approved change order" button adds your last change order as a line for you.

Is my information private?

Yes. Everything you type, including your logo, stays in this browser on this device. Nothing is uploaded or sent anywhere. Clearing your browser data clears your saved change order too.