Why change orders matter
Most payment disputes on a roofing job start with the same words: "Nobody told me." The homeowner sees a bigger invoice than the contract price and feels tricked. You did the work in good faith and now you wait for your money.
A signed change order stops that. It turns a talk on the driveway into a written agreement. Many contracts, including our roofing contract template, say no extra charge is due without the customer's signature on a change order. Some states also set rules for changes to home improvement contracts. When in doubt, put it in writing.
When to write one
Write a change order whenever the job changes from the signed contract:
- Hidden damage. Rotten decking, rafters, or old layers you could not see at the bid.
- A customer request. A new color, a better underlayment, new gutters, a skylight.
- A code or inspector requirement. The inspector asks for something the contract did not include.
- A material problem. The chosen product is not available and you must use another.
- A change in time. Even with no price change, write it down if the finish date moves.
A change that lowers the price needs one too. It shows the customer you track the job both ways.
The four things it must show
| Part | What to write |
|---|---|
| Scope | What changed and why, in plain words. What you will do. Refer to photos if you have them. |
| Price | Each cost line, the tax, and the change total. Then the original contract price, earlier change orders, and the new contract total. |
| Time | The days the change adds, and the new completion date. |
| Signature | The customer and you sign and date it, before the work. Each of you keeps a copy. |
Add the change order number, the date, the contract number and the job address at the top. Then anyone can match it to the right job later.
How to get it signed
- Stop work on that part. Do not keep going and sort it out later.
- Show the customer. Walk them to it or send photos at once. A photo of soft decking explains more than a paragraph.
- Explain the choice. Say what happens if they say yes, and what happens if they say no.
- Price it on the spot if you can. Put unit prices in the original contract, such as a price per sheet of decking. Then the change order is simple arithmetic, not a new negotiation.
- Write it clearly. Short sentences. No trade shorthand the customer cannot read.
- Sign before work. On paper, or with an e-signature on a phone.
- Send a copy the same day. Put it in the job file with the contract.
If the customer cannot be reached and the roof is open, protect the home first. Then write down what you did and why, and get the change order signed as soon as you can.
Common mistakes
- A verbal yes. It is easy to forget and hard to prove.
- "Price to follow." A change order with no price invites a dispute. Give a number, or a unit price and a cap.
- Only the change total. Show the new contract total so the customer sees the whole picture.
- Forgetting the time. A job that runs late with no written reason causes as much anger as a price rise.
- Many small changes saved for the end. Write each one when it happens.
On an insurance job, a signed change order and photos also help the homeowner ask the insurer for a supplement for the hidden damage.