Free homeowner template
Change order template and log
Write down every change before the work happens: what changes, what it costs, what it does to the schedule, and who agreed. The log keeps a running contract total so the final invoice is never a surprise.
How to use it
Use one form per change, numbered in order, and record each one on the log as it is signed. The point of the log is the last column: a running contract total. Most disputes at the end of a renovation are not about whether a change was agreed, but about what the contract was worth after all of them.
Sign before the work starts, not after. A change agreed by text or in conversation is the hardest kind to price fairly once it is already built. California sets rules for how home improvement contracts and their changes are documented — confirm the current requirements with the CSLB for your contract.
Change order template and log
LocalRenovationPros.com · General educational resource
Project details
1. Change order form
One form per change. Copy this page for each additional change order.
Reason for the change
- □ You asked for something different or additional
- □ A hidden condition was found once work opened up
- □ A drawing or specification was wrong or incomplete
- □ An inspector or code requirement forced the change
- □ A selected product is unavailable or discontinued
| Contract position | Amount |
|---|---|
| Original contract sum | |
| Net change by previously approved change orders | |
| Contract sum before this change order | |
| Amount of this change order | |
| New contract sum | |
| Revised completion date |
Work on this change should not begin until both signatures are in place.
2. Change order log
Add a row as each change order is signed. The running total is what the contract is actually worth — check the final invoice against the last row, not against the original contract.
| # | Date | Description | Reason | + / − | Amount | Days | Signed | Running contract total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ||||||||
| 2 | ||||||||
| 3 | ||||||||
| 4 | ||||||||
| 5 | ||||||||
| 6 | ||||||||
| 7 | ||||||||
| 8 | ||||||||
| 9 | ||||||||
| 10 | ||||||||
| 11 | ||||||||
| 12 | ||||||||
| 13 | ||||||||
| 14 |
3. Before you sign any change order
- □ The description says what work is added, removed, or substituted — not just a price
- □ The price is broken into labor, materials, and any markup
- □ It states whether the completion date moves, and by how many days
- □ It says what happens to the allowance if a selection is being swapped
- □ Any related work affected by the change is named, not assumed
- □ Both parties sign and date it before the work starts
- □ The revised contract total is written on the form, not calculated later
Final reconciliation
This template is general educational information, not legal, financial, engineering, or contractor advice. Requirements for home improvement contracts and their changes are specific to your contract and jurisdiction — confirm current California rules with the CSLB, and seek qualified advice where money is in dispute. Local Renovation Pros is a contractor-matching platform, not a contractor.