How to fill out a construction change order

1. Identify the job and describe the scope change

Enter a change order number, issue date, project name, owner or client, and contractor. Add the original agreement reference and work address when they help identify the job. These fields are document labels; they do not link to an accounting system or update the original agreement.

In “Original scope affected,” identify the part of the job being revised. In “Changed work to perform,” describe the location, quantity, material and work included. Put the reason or drawing reference in the reason field when useful.

Example wording: “In exam rooms 3 and 4, replace 420 sf of specified VCT with sheet vinyl with welded seams. Add one dedicated 20 A circuit in each room. Remove corridor accent-wall painting.” This is fictional wording for this tool’s example, not a specification for your job.

2. Separate added work from credits

Use Additions for new costs and Deductions for work removed. Enter positive quantities and prices in both tables: the tool subtracts deductions itself. Entering a negative price to represent a credit is rejected.

Each line is quantity × unit price, rounded to cents. The net cost is additions minus deductions. If credits are larger, the change can reduce the contract sum.

Choose the markup basis deliberately

“On net cost” applies the percentage to additions minus credits. “On additions only” applies it only to added work. For $1,000 of additions, $200 of credits and 10% markup, these settings produce $80 and $100 of markup respectively, before tax. Select the treatment specified for your own job.

Check taxable lines and the markup checkbox

The tax base is taxable additions minus taxable credits. Checking “also tax the markup” adds the calculated markup to that base. The tool does not look up tax rules or decide whether labor, materials or fees are taxable.

The clinic example uses $3,501.00 net cost, $420.12 markup and $112.14 tax, giving a $4,033.26 increase. See the complete line-by-line worked example for the quantities and assumptions. The sample percentages are illustrative.

3. Reconcile the contract sum and time

Enter the original contract sum and list earlier approved change orders with their signed amounts: positive for increases and negative for decreases. Do not include the current change in that earlier list. The tool shows the sum before this change and adds the current adjustment to produce the new total.

For the clinic example, $486,500.00 original + $1,565.00 in earlier changes + $4,033.26 current change = $492,098.26. Listing the current change twice would overstate the running total.

Contract time uses calendar days. Enter a positive adjustment for an extension, zero for no change or a negative adjustment for a shorter schedule. A four-day extension moves a January 15, 2027 completion date to January 19, 2027. This is date arithmetic; the tool does not assess delay responsibility or entitlement.

4. Review, export and keep a copy

• Check the project, parties, number and issue date against the intended job.
• Describe changed and removed work explicitly; check every quantity, price and taxable flag.
• Confirm markup, tax and earlier changes are included once, with the intended signs.
• Review calendar-day adjustments, completion date and any notes or conditions.
• Choose Letter or A4, download the PDF and inspect all pages and names before sharing it.
• Follow the approval and signature process required for your agreement. Generating a PDF does not record approval.

After a change is approved, “Start next change order” carries the current amount into the earlier-change list and carries the revised time and completion date forward. Use that button only when the current document belongs in your approved history. An Undo button restores the previous state immediately after the action.

The current draft stays in this browser on this device. PDF and CSV are copies of the output, not restorable draft backups. Clearing site data or replacing the draft can remove the saved working document.

Sources, maintenance and tool limits

This guide is maintained by Toolwoven and describes the behavior of this generator. Its arithmetic examples use the same calculations as the tool. The layout and wording are independently written.

The AIA Contract Documents instructions for G701–2017, checked October 27, 2026, are a reference for the five contract-sum lines and the time adjustment. This generator is not an official or licensed AIA document. Use a specified form when your agreement requires one.

PDF and CSV export and browser printing are supported. Electronic signature collection, cloud collaboration, document sending, Word export and Excel workbook export are not provided. PDF text supports English and many Western European characters; inspect unsupported characters or use browser printing.

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