Skip to main content

Change Orders

Scope changes happen on almost every job. A customer decides they want to add a second bathroom while you are already on-site. A hidden water-damaged subfloor adds two extra days of work. The original shingles are discontinued and the replacement costs more.

A change order is a formal, tracked record of a scope change — what was added or removed, what it costs, and whether the customer approved it. ContractorScope AI makes it straightforward to create, send, and track change orders without losing the thread of the original estimate.

Why Formal Change Orders Matter​

Verbal agreements about scope changes are one of the most common sources of contractor-client disputes. A signed change order protects both parties:

  • You — It documents that the customer authorized additional work before you did it, and establishes the agreed price.
  • Your customer — They know exactly what changed, what it costs, and what they are approving before you proceed.

A well-run change order process also keeps your project financials accurate. ContractorScope AI rolls approved change orders into the project total automatically, so you always know your current contracted amount.

tip

Make it a habit to issue a change order for every scope change, no matter how small. A $150 line item skipped over as "we will figure it out later" often becomes a $1,500 disagreement at final billing.

Creating a Change Order​

From the Original Estimate​

  1. Open the accepted estimate for the project.
  2. Click Actions → New Change Order.
  3. ContractorScope AI creates a change order linked to that estimate, with the original scope visible for reference.
  4. Give the change order a short, clear title — for example, "Add secondary bath rough-in" or "Subfloor repair — east bedroom."
  5. Enter a description explaining what changed and why. Be specific. This is the record that protects you if there is a question later.

Adding Items to the Change Order​

A change order can include additions, removals, or both.

To add new work:

  1. Click Add Line Item in the Additions section.
  2. Search the product catalog or enter a custom item.
  3. Set the quantity and unit cost.
  4. Repeat for each new item or labor entry.

To remove previously quoted work:

  1. Click Add Line Item in the Removals section.
  2. Search for the item from the original estimate or enter it manually.
  3. Enter the quantity being removed.
  4. Removals appear as negative values in the change order total.

To adjust an existing item:

  1. Use a removal entry to cancel the original quantity.
  2. Use an addition entry to add back the corrected quantity or pricing.

ContractorScope AI calculates the net change (additions minus removals) and applies your standard markup settings automatically. You can override markup for a specific change order if needed.

Creating a change order with additions and removals

info

Change orders inherit the markup settings from the original estimate by default. If you negotiated different terms for additional work, adjust the markup in the change order settings before sending.

Customer Approval Flow​

Once your change order is ready, you need the customer's approval before proceeding with the additional work.

Sending for Approval​

Change orders go out to the homeowner as a text message containing a link to the approval page.

  1. Review the change order total and description on the Review & Send step.
  2. Enter the Homeowner Phone number in the field marked for SMS.
  3. Click Create & Send.

The customer gets a text with a link, opens it, reviews the change order details, and signs to approve.

The phone number is optional at this point. Leave it blank and click Create Draft instead, and the change order is saved in Draft status — you can send it later from the change orders list on the project.

If the Text Does Not Go Through​

A text can fail for ordinary reasons: a typo in the number, a landline, or a phone that cannot receive texts. A failed send never loses the change order. It stays in Draft status with everything you entered intact, and you get a message telling you the text could not be delivered rather than a false "sent" confirmation.

To recover:

  1. Find the change order in the list on the project. It is still marked Draft.
  2. Click Resend (the button reads Send if no number was saved).
  3. If the saved number is wrong or missing, a phone field opens right there — correct the number and click Send.
  4. Click Cancel in that field if you would rather leave it as a draft and deal with it later.

You can repeat this as many times as you need. If the customer simply cannot receive texts, download the PDF and use the in-person route described below.

Customer Portal Approval​

In the customer portal, the customer sees:

  • The change order title and description
  • A summary of what is being added or removed
  • The cost impact (net change and new project total)
  • A signature field

When they click Approve and Sign, their name, timestamp, and IP address are recorded as the approval record. You receive an email notification immediately.

In-Person Approval​

For customers who prefer to sign on paper:

  1. Click Download PDF to generate a professional change order PDF.
  2. Print it, get the signature, and scan it back in.
  3. Upload the signed PDF by clicking Actions → Upload Signed Copy on the change order.
  4. Mark the change order as Approved manually.

Change order in the customer portal waiting for approval

warning

Do not start additional work until the change order is in Approved status. If a customer verbally approves and you begin work, then later disputes it, you may not have legal recourse without a signed change order.

Impact on Project Total​

When a change order moves to Approved status, ContractorScope AI automatically updates the project's contracted total.

You can see the running total at any time:

  • Original estimate total — The value of the accepted estimate.
  • Approved change orders — Sum of all approved changes (positive or negative).
  • Current contracted total — Original + approved changes.
  • Pending change orders — Changes that have been sent but not yet approved.

This breakdown appears at the top of the estimate detail view, in the project summary panel, and on any reports that include this project.

tip

If you connect ContractorScope AI to QuickBooks Online, the current contracted total syncs to your QuickBooks invoice so your accounting always reflects the real job value — not just the original estimate.

Change Order History​

Every change order for a project is logged in the Change Order History tab on the estimate detail view. This tab shows:

  • Change order number (auto-assigned, sequential per project)
  • Title and description
  • Date created and date approved (or declined)
  • Net cost impact
  • Who approved (customer name and timestamp)
  • Link to the signed PDF (if uploaded)

The history is permanent and cannot be edited or deleted. If a change order was made in error, create a correcting change order with a negative value rather than trying to delete the original.

Change Order Statuses​

StatusMeaning
DraftCreated but not yet sent to the customer — including one whose text did not go through. Drafts can be resent at any time.
SentSent to the customer, awaiting their approval.
ApprovedCustomer has signed. Total updated automatically.
DeclinedCustomer declined. No impact on project total.
VoidedCanceled before it was approved. No impact on project total.

Best Practices​

Write Clear Descriptions​

Vague change orders cause disputes. Instead of "Additional work per site visit," write "Remove and replace 80 sq ft of water-damaged OSB subfloor in east bedroom, discovered after tile removal. Includes materials, labor, and disposal."

Include Photos When Possible​

You can attach photos to any change order. For unexpected conditions — hidden damage, buried utilities, incorrect original measurements — a photo is worth more than any description. Click Attach Photos on the change order to add images from your device or from the job's existing photo library.

Issue Change Orders Before You Do the Work​

The customer approval should come before the additional work begins, not after. If you are on a tight timeline, you can start the additional work with a verbal agreement, but get the change order approved as soon as possible — ideally the same day.

Keep Change Orders Focused​

One change order per scope event is easier to track and audit than a single change order covering three different scope changes from three different weeks. If you have multiple scope changes from a single site visit, one combined change order is fine. But do not let changes pile up for weeks before issuing a single large change order.

Example of a well-formatted change order PDF

Review Before Final Billing​

Before issuing a final invoice or project completion notice, review the change order history to confirm that all approved change orders are reflected in the final project total. If any approved changes were missed, create a correcting change order before closing the project.

Creating Change Orders from the Field​

Technicians and project managers can create and submit change orders directly from their phone or tablet while on the job site:

  1. Open the project from My Jobs or the Projects list on your mobile device
  2. Tap "Add Change Order" from the project detail screen
  3. Describe the change — include what changed, why, and any cost impact
  4. Attach photos — use your phone camera to document the condition that triggered the change (e.g., hidden water damage, unexpected wiring)
  5. Submit for approval — the change order is sent to the office for review, and the customer receives an approval request
Take Photos First

Before starting any extra work, photograph the issue that caused the change. This protects you in disputes and helps the customer understand why the change is necessary.

Offline Support

You can draft change orders while offline. They will be submitted automatically when your device reconnects. See Offline Mode for details.

Next Steps​

Once you're comfortable with change orders, consider these next steps: