Change orders on a construction site

The problem

On a construction project, scope changes happen constantly. The client wants a different finish, the site reveals a problem behind a wall, or a supplier substitutes a material. Every change needs a signed change order before work goes ahead, or the contractor risks doing work they cannot bill for. On paper, change orders are written on site, carried back to the office, and signed days later, long after the work has started.

How they set it up

1. 01
   Create a change order template

   Upload your standard change order form. Add roles for Site supervisor, Project manager and Client. Add variables for project name, change order number, description, cost and schedule impact.

2. 02
   Fill it from the site

   The site supervisor opens the template on a phone, fills the variables and describes the change. An Attachment field lets them add photos of the condition on site.

3. 03
   Route through approval

   Set an approval rule so change orders over a set amount go to the project manager first with the Approves first role. Smaller changes go straight to the client.

4. 04
   Sign in person when the client is on site

   If the client is walking the site, choose the In person role and let them sign on the supervisor's phone right there. The record shows it was signed in person, with the time and device.

5. 05
   Send by email when they are not

   If the client is away, send the change order to their email with an SMS code check. They can sign from anywhere. If they have a question, they ask from the signing page.

6. 06
   Keep project records together

   Completed change orders go into a folder for each project with labels for the change number. Everyone gets the signed PDF, and the project manager can export the full list at the end of the job.

What changes

Change orders are written, priced and signed while everyone still remembers the conversation, often before the crew moves on. The contractor has a signed record, with photos, before the extra work starts, which makes billing straightforward. The project manager sees every change on one list, and the client has a copy of each one. Disputes about what was agreed are easier to settle because the document, the photos and the timeline are in one place.