A change order should answer five questions before changed work begins: what is different, why, what it changes in price and time, who has authority, and which version is now approved.
Separate a change request from an approved change
Use clear states:
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A text message asking “Can we move the wall?” is a request, not authorization.
Create one change record
Change record
Project and change ID: ______
Requested by / date / reason: ______
Current contract and drawing references: ______
Proposed scope difference: ______
Price impact and basis: ______
Schedule impact and milestones: ______
Design, permit, procurement, safety, warranty, and operational effects: ______
Decision deadline and consequence of no decision: ______
Required approvers: ______
Review downstream effects, not only the direct work
A relocated opening can affect structure, utilities, finishes, approvals, fabrication, freight, access, and sequence. A software or service change can affect data, training, support, billing, and customer commitments. Require each responsible function to mark no impact, included impact, excluded impact, or unresolved impact.
Price with an explicit basis
Show quantities, labor, material, equipment, subcontractor work, credits, markups or fees as allowed by the agreement, tax treatment, and assumptions. If the final amount depends on hidden conditions, state the allowance or unit rate and how the final adjustment will be approved.
Update the forecast even while the change is pending. A proposed change is not committed cost, but it is a known risk the project should not hide. For home projects, reconcile it with the total-project budget.
State schedule impact in milestones
“Adds two weeks” is incomplete. Identify the affected activity, decision deadline, procurement lead time, revised milestone, and whether the change uses float or extends completion. Also state whether rejecting or delaying the decision has a different schedule effect.
Use an authority matrix
| Decision | May request | Must review | May approve | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scope clarification with no cost or time effect | Field or project team | Design and contract owner | Named project authority | Clarification record tied to current documents |
| Price or schedule change | Authorized stakeholders | Commercial, technical, and schedule owners | Contract-defined parties | Signed or otherwise authorized controlled change |
| Emergency protective action | Person observing condition | Safety and project authority as soon as possible | Only authority allowed by contract and law | Immediate incident and cost record followed by formal review |
Job titles alone do not prove contract authority. Record the applicable delegation and limits.
Control the proposal version
Every proposal needs a stable change ID, revision, issue time, status, and list of replaced versions. If a recipient comments or requests a revision, create a new controlled version rather than editing the file that another party may already be reviewing.
Prepare and route the approval
Use the PDF sender QA checklist to verify the exact proposal and recipient fields. Then retain delivery, consent, decision, and completion evidence using the audit-trail checklist. Electronic routing does not change who has authority or what the underlying agreement requires.
Release changed work deliberately
After approval, distribute the approved version to every affected person and system. Mark superseded drawings, estimates, schedules, purchase orders, work instructions, and customer records. The field release should name the effective version and any hold points.
Handle true emergencies without normalizing verbal changes
A contract or safety plan may allow limited immediate action to protect people or property. Define who can direct it, what limits apply, how evidence is captured, and how quickly a formal record follows. “It was urgent” should not become a routine way to bypass scope and price review.
Close the change
- Verify the approved work was completed and inspected as required.
- Reconcile actual quantity or allowance adjustments.
- Update contract value, schedule, drawings, asset records, manuals, and warranties.
- Retain the final approval and superseded history.
- Record the cause and whether an earlier decision gate could prevent recurrence.