Construction Change Order Builder
Construction Change Order Builder
Draft a before-and-after change-order explanation with added price, removed-scope credit, schedule difference, and unresolved questions. This creates a review draft; it does not collect a signature.
Quick answer: A change-order draft should show the before-and-after scope, additions, credits, prior approved changes, and schedule effect. The example reconciles a $28,000 original contract to a proposed $30,000 total without recording approval. See the contract reconciliation.
Scope revision desk
Show what changes before anyone approves it
Reconcile the original contract, earlier approved changes, and this proposal. The example amounts are fictional.
Schedule assumption: 2 calendar days later.
Pending review. No approval or signature is captured here.
Before: the agreed work
Only the documented credit for work removed by this proposal. Leave earlier credits in prior approved changes.
After: the proposed work
Include the intended labor, materials, fees, markup, and tax treatment in this entered total. Nothing is added automatically.
Contract and schedule reconciliation
Use the original contract in the first field. If you enter the current revised contract there, set prior changes to zero to avoid counting them twice. A negative day value means earlier, not a delay.
Read the complete worksheet
CONSTRUCTION CHANGE ORDER — REVIEW DRAFT Reference: Bathroom remodel — proposed change 02 Reason: Owner-requested change Recorded status: Pending review. Self-reported only; no signature or approval captured by this tool. BEFORE — agreed scope Supply and install the original vanity package, with the documented finish scope. AFTER — proposed scope Replace the original package with the wider selected vanity. Adjust the documented wall finish; keep the existing plumbing location. Original contract: $28,000.00 Net prior approved changes: $1,200.00 Current approved total before this proposal: $29,200.00 Added all-in price: $2,400.00 Removed-work all-in credit: $1,600.00 This net proposed change: $800.00 Proposed revised contract: $30,000.00 Estimated schedule effect: 2 calendar days later Unresolved items and exclusions: Confirm product availability and work sequence before approval. New concealed repairs are not included. Reconciliation: original contract + net prior approved changes + added price − removed-work credit. Currency policy: entered dollar amounts round to cents before the contract and change totals are reconciled. This draft does not approve, sign, send, or authorize work. Use the actual agreement, required notices, and documented approval process.
A changed scope needs a readable explanation
A useful remodeling change-order draft shows the agreed work, the proposed replacement, added price, removed-work credit, and schedule effect together. Its revised total is the original contract plus prior approved changes plus this net proposed change. The worksheet above prepares that explanation without treating the proposal as approved.
Reconcile the entire contract, not just this change
The completed example starts with a fictional $28,000 bathroom contract and $1,200 of earlier approved changes. The current approved total is therefore $29,200. This new proposal adds a $2,400 replacement package and credits $1,600 for the work it removes. The new net change is $800, making the proposed revised contract $30,000.
| Original contract | $28,000 |
|---|---|
| Net earlier approved changes | +$1,200 |
| Current approved total | $29,200 |
| Added work in this proposal | +$2,400 |
| Removed-work credit in this proposal | −$1,600 |
| Proposed revised contract | $30,000 |
These are illustrative inputs, not remodeling price benchmarks. Both the addition and credit are entered as all-in amounts. The tool does not calculate another markup, fee, or tax. Prepare those figures using your actual scope and intended treatment before entering them.
Entered dollar amounts round to cents before the contract, prior changes, additions, and credits are reconciled. Use the same cent amounts as the source records so the displayed components add to the proposed revised total.
The starting-total check
If you enter the current $29,200 contract as the original contract and also enter $1,200 in prior changes, you count that earlier work twice. Use the original contract plus prior changes, or use the current total with prior changes set to zero. Label the reference so the reviewer can see which record you used.
Example 1: the homeowner selects a different vanity
“Vanity upgrade” does not explain enough. A homeowner should be able to identify what is leaving the scope, what is entering it, and which related work stays unchanged. The before-and-after views below describe the same fictional selection change as the opening calculation.
Before: agreed package
Supply and install the original vanity package, with the documented wall finish. Identify the original product record and the specific installation scope being removed. The entered credit is $1,600 all-in.
After: proposed package
Install the wider selected vanity and revise the documented finish area while keeping the agreed plumbing location. Confirm the selected product and availability. The added package is $2,400 all-in.
RepThis proposal replaces the original package. The replacement adds $2,400, and the removed package creates a $1,600 credit. The difference is $800. We still need to confirm availability before treating the two-day schedule assumption as a committed date.
HomeownerDoes that include moving the plumbing?
RepThe proposed scope keeps its current location. If you want it moved, we need to define and price that work before you approve this version.
If the item was originally carried as an allowance, first use the remodel allowance reconciliation calculator to establish its adjustment. Carry that adjustment into this record once. Do not credit the entire original package here and subtract the same allowance again elsewhere.
Example 2: a condition becomes visible after opening the work area
A concealed-condition draft should separate observation from assumption. Name the location, describe what the team can actually see, and identify the proposed investigation or repair. Do not turn an unconfirmed cause into a diagnosis in the customer explanation.
| Draft field | Worked wording |
|---|---|
| Original scope | Remove the listed finish and install the new finish over the documented existing substrate. |
| Observed condition | A damaged area is visible behind the removed finish at the marked location. Attach the dated photo and measured extent to the project record. |
| Proposed work | Replace only the documented affected substrate area and restore the listed finish. Confirm the cause and any additional affected area before finalizing scope. |
| Unresolved item | Any work outside the measured area requires another review; this draft does not establish the cause. |
For a fictional $45,000 original contract with $2,000 in prior approved changes, an agreed $1,450 added scope and no removed-work credit would produce a $48,450 proposed revised total. That arithmetic is valid only after the $1,450 scope is actually defined. Entering an unsupported guess does not make the price ready for customer approval.
The next action may be further investigation rather than asking the homeowner to approve a final repair immediately. Record the responsible person, what information is missing, and which affected work is awaiting that decision. Keep any immediate site-protection action in the actual project process; this page does not determine technical repair requirements.
Example 3: removing work creates a credit
A change order can reduce the contract. Suppose a fictional project starts at $36,000 and has an earlier approved $600 credit, entered as −$600 under prior approved changes. The customer now removes a documented $900 finish scope with no replacement work. Enter $0 added price and $900 removed-work credit.
The current approved total before this proposal is $35,400. The proposed change is −$900; it should not appear as a $900 extra charge. The builder accepts nonnegative additions and credits, then subtracts the credit. Prior approved changes are signed because their net balance can already be an increase or a reduction.
Explain what is removed and what remains. Deleting one finish item might leave preparation, previously completed work, or a related task in scope. The amount of any credit comes from the documented agreement and project facts; it is not automatically the original selling price of every associated task.
State schedule effects in plain language
A price difference and a schedule difference are separate decisions. The calculator takes a whole number of calendar days. Positive means later, negative means earlier, and zero means no calendar-day change entered. It prints those meanings explicitly so “−2” cannot be mistaken for a two-day delay.
- +2 days: the modeled completion is two calendar days later. Record the availability or sequencing assumption supporting that estimate.
- −1 day: the modeled completion is one calendar day earlier. Removing labor does not automatically move a later dependent activity.
- 0 days: no change has been entered. It is not proof that the change has no schedule risk.
The result is not a scheduling engine. It does not calculate weekends, holidays, trade availability, inspections, delivery dates, or task dependencies. The person responsible for the actual schedule should reconcile the proposed effect before a promised date is updated.
Keep review status distinct from authorization
Prepare one current draft
Use a project or change reference. Describe the before-and-after scope, reconcile the price, and list missing decisions. Use the proposal wording tool if the overall scope explanation needs clearer language.
Walk through the differences
Read the added work and the credit separately. Confirm the customer's question was answered and revise the draft when the actual scope changes. Copy, download, or print the same explanation for review.
Record approval in the real project system
The status dropdown is self-reported. Even “Approval recorded externally” does not capture a signature or verify permission. Finalize the actual record through your required agreement and change process before treating the work as authorized.
Requirements for notices, signatures, and contract language vary. This tool is a practical scope-and-price review draft, not a jurisdiction-specific legal form. Keep the project's controlling documents and approval evidence with the change record.
Sources and calculation method
Created by GhostRep. All three project cases, amounts, and conversation examples are fictional exercises. The arithmetic is original contract + net prior approved changes + added price − removed-work credit; entered schedule days are reported separately.
Buildertrend's change-order documentation describes fields for scope, pricing, attachments, and approval workflow. It supplies workflow context, not the example prices, repair specifications, or legal requirements. Source checked September 11, 2026.
How to use the Construction Change Order Builder
Compare the scopes
State the original agreement and the proposed added, revised, or removed work.
Reconcile price and time
Enter original contract, prior approved changes, additions, credits, and the signed schedule difference.
Review before approval
Resolve open questions and export the draft. Use your actual agreement and approval process to authorize work.
Questions about this tool
What should a remodeling change order include?
Identify the project and change, explain the original and proposed scope, itemize added price and credits, reconcile the contract total, state the schedule effect, and document the required approval. The worksheet keeps unresolved items visible.
How is the revised contract amount calculated?
Original contract plus prior approved changes plus this change's additions minus its credits equals the proposed revised amount. Enter prior changes as a signed net number and do not include this draft twice.
Can a change order reduce the price or schedule?
Yes. Removed work may create a credit and some changes may shorten the schedule. Use a negative schedule difference for fewer calendar days and explain the actual work sequence supporting that estimate.
Does printing this change order authorize the work?
No. The output is a draft for review and records no signature or approval. Follow the project agreement and applicable requirements before treating changed work as authorized.
Practice the conversation beyond the script.
Use this guide to prepare, then explore GhostRep Role Play for interactive sales practice and session feedback.