BuildWellFree Change Order Generator
Price the change before you do the work, and get it agreed in writing. Free, no account.
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How to use the free change order generator
The free change order generator prices a change to an agreed job, so you can get it signed before the work starts. Reference the original estimate or contract, list what’s added and what’s removed, and say how the change affects the schedule. Credits are entered as negative prices, and the total is the change in price. Below the tool: a worked example, what a change order must say, the mistakes that lead to unpaid extras, and how it ties the estimate to the final invoice.
- 1
Reference the original job
In the job field, name the project and the estimate or contract the change applies to.
- 2
List the change
Add each change as a line: added work at its price, and removed work as a negative price.
- 3
Show the effect
The total is the change in price. In notes, say how it affects the schedule.
- 4
Get it signed
Download the PDF and have the client sign it before you start the changed work.
Who uses a change order
Any job long enough for the client to change their mind needs change orders. These trades write the most of them.
General contractors
Owners change selections, layouts and scope through a project. Number every change order and keep a running contract total.
General contractor software →Kitchen remodelers
New appliances, a different countertop or an added island all change the price. Price each one before it’s ordered.
Kitchen remodeling software →Bathroom remodelers
Opening a wall often reveals rot or old plumbing. A change order for hidden conditions is how that work gets paid.
Bathroom remodeling software →Electricians
Added circuits, moved outlets and upgraded fixtures each need a price, and sometimes a revised permit.
Electrical software →Carpenters
Trim profiles, built-ins and framing changes come up mid-job. A signed change order keeps the extras from becoming favors.
Carpentry software →Roofers
Rotten decking found during tear-off is the classic change. Agree on a price per sheet in advance, and document the count.
Roofing software →How to make a change order: an example
Here is a filled-in change order for a kitchen remodel, made with the generator above. It adds two items, swaps a third, and shows the new contract total in the notes. The business, client and prices are invented for the example.
- It names the original agreementThe job name ties the change to estimate #1180 and numbers it in sequence.
- Adds and credits on separate linesThe removed backsplash is a negative line, so the client sees the credit and the new cost side by side.
- The total is the changeThe total is what this change adds. The notes give the original and the revised contract totals.
- Schedule impact in writingFour more working days, and the new target date. Time is part of the change, not just money.
- Signed before work startsThe terms make the signature a condition of starting the changed work.
Before you send it, check it has
- The project and the original contract or estimate it changes
- A change order number and date
- Each change, with its price (credits as negatives)
- The total change in price
- The effect on the schedule
- Signatures from you and the client
What goes into a strong change order
The parts every change order needs, and why each one matters to the client reading it.
The agreement it changes
The project and the estimate, quote or contract number. A change order without it is just another price.
A change order number
Numbered in sequence on each job: 1, 2, 3. It makes the history easy to follow and hard to dispute.
What changes, and why
Each added, removed or changed item in plain words, and who asked for it or what was found.
A price for each change
Added work at its price, removed work as a credit. The client sees exactly what each decision costs.
The change in price, and the new total
What this change adds or removes, and what the contract total is now. A running total keeps surprises off the final invoice.
The effect on the schedule
Extra days, or a new completion date. Changes take time as well as money.
Everything else stays the same
A line saying the original terms still apply, so the change order doesn’t reopen the whole agreement.
Signatures before the work
Yours and the client’s, dated, before the changed work starts.
Common change order mistakes
And how to avoid them, so the document does its job the first time.
Doing the work on a verbal yes
A conversation in the driveway is easy to remember differently. Get the change signed first.
Pricing it after the fact
A price the client sees only on the final invoice is the one most likely to be disputed.
Leaving out the schedule
If the change adds days and the change order doesn’t say so, the original finish date still stands.
No running total
After several changes, clients lose track of the price. Put the revised contract total on each one.
Forgetting the credits
When the client drops an item, show the credit. It builds trust when the added items are priced.
Too many changes on one form
If the client disputes one item, the whole change order stalls. Group related changes, and split the rest.
Change Order templates you can create
The generator has 6 layouts and 12 colors. Here is the example above in three of them; pick yours in “Look” at the bottom of the form.
Features of the free change order generator
Live preview
The document redraws as you type, in the same layout BuildWell itself sends.
Your logo and colors
Upload a PNG, JPG, SVG or WebP up to 2 MB, and pick from 12 colors.
6 templates
Classic, Headline, Banner, Statement, Minimal and Letterhead.
Tax and discounts
Set a discount and a tax rate. The discount comes off before tax, and the totals are exact to the cent.
Private by default
What you type stays in this browser and is remembered on this device. Nothing is sent to BuildWell.
A PDF with no account
Download the PDF from your browser’s print dialog and send it however you like. No sign-up.
Tracking and follow-up in BuildWell
In BuildWell, a change is a revision of the estimate: the original is kept, the new version is created, and the client signs the revision on their phone. You see when they open it and how many times, and you’re notified when they accept or decline. How the client portal works.
- Opened, and how oftenSee when the client opens your estimate and how many times.
- Accepted or declinedGet notified when the client accepts and signs on their phone, or declines.
- PaidGet notified when the client pays an invoice, and see what’s still owed.
- Sent from your phoneText or email the link in your own words. Clients need no app or account.
- Estimate E-1042 sent by textMon 9:14 AM
- Opened by the client · viewed 3 timesMon 7:52 PM
- Accepted and signedTue 8:03 AM
- Deposit invoice sentTue 8:10 AM
- Deposit paid by bank transferWed 11:26 AM
Skip the typing. Let it price the job.
Describe the job by voice or photos. BuildWell lists the work, prices it for your area, gets it signed on the client’s phone, and turns it into the invoice.
- AI estimates priced for your area
- Estimates, invoices, clients and projects
- Clients sign on any phone
- Card and bank payments, no extra BuildWell fee
- iPhone, Android and the web
- AI estimates priced for your area
- Estimates, invoices, clients and projects
- Clients sign on any phone
- Card and bank payments, no extra BuildWell fee
- iPhone, Android and the web
Both plans include every feature and start with a 3-day free trial. Add a card to start; you’re not charged until the trial ends. Cancel anytime.
Change Order FAQ
01Is it really free, with no sign-up?
02When do I need a change order?
03How do I show a credit for removed work?
04Do I need one for small changes?
05What if the client won’t sign?
06Should I show the new contract total?
07Can I do this in BuildWell?
08Can I add my logo?
09How do I save it as a PDF?
10Will my details be here next time?
Free resources
Templates, calculators and definitions. No sign-up.
Guides for this document
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