Working with Change Orders

Scope changes happen on almost every construction project. A client wants to add recessed lighting, the crew discovers unexpected plumbing issues, or the design gets tweaked mid-build. Change orders let you formally document these modifications so everyone stays on the same page — and you get paid for the extra work.

Who Can Access This

Admin and Team Member can create, edit, and manage change orders. Field Users can view change orders but have limited editing capabilities.

Creating a Change Order

1. Open the project and go to the Change Orders tab.
2. Click "New Change Order".
3. Fill in the details:

Header Information

• Change Order Number — Auto-generated or enter a custom number.
• Title — A clear, descriptive name (e.g., "Add recessed lighting to kitchen").
• Description — Explain the change in detail.
• Change Type — Select one: Additional Work, Scope Reduction, Material Change, Timeline Extension, or Design Change.
• Reason — Why the change is needed: Client Request, Unforeseen Conditions, Design Error, Code Compliance, or Other.
• Priority — Low, Medium, High, or Urgent.

Financial Impact

• Cost Impact — Enter a positive amount for additional costs or a negative amount for credits back to the client.
• Tax — Add applicable tax amount and percentage.
• Timeline Impact — Additional days the change will add to the project schedule.

Line Items

Add detailed line items for the change order:

• Description — What the item is.
• Category — Labor, Material, Equipment, Subcontractor, or Other.
• Quantity and Unit — How much.
• Unit Price and Total — The cost.
• Product/Service Name — Link to a product or service.
• Image (optional) — Attach a reference photo.

Lead Cost Settings

Each change order has its own lead cost settings (fixed amount or percentage) that factor independently into commission calculations.

4. Click Save.

Change Order Statuses

Change orders follow a clear progression:

1. Draft — Created but not yet submitted.
2. Pending Approval — Waiting for review or client sign-off.
3. Approved — Green-lit to proceed.
4. In Progress — Work is underway.
5. Completed — Work is finished.
6. Invoiced — The change has been billed.

A change order can also be Cancelled at any point if it's no longer needed.

Getting Client Approval

For changes that need the client's sign-off:

1. Toggle "Requires Client Approval" on the change order.
2. BuilderMate sends a link to the Client Hub where the client can review the change order details.
3. The client reviews the scope, cost, and timeline impact.
4. To approve, the client provides a signature (drawn or typed).
5. BuilderMate records the signature along with the client's IP address and timestamp for your records.

Pro Tip: Always require client approval for changes that affect cost or timeline. Having a signed record protects both you and your client if questions come up later.

Generating a PDF

You can generate a PDF of any change order for printing, emailing outside of BuilderMate, or including in your project documentation.

How Change Orders Affect the Project

Project Value

When a change order is approved, it updates the project's total value. The Summary tab displays the "Change Order Impact" so you can see how much the original scope has grown or shrunk.

Commissions

Change orders have their own lead cost settings that are factored independently into commission calculations. This means a change order can have different commission terms than the original project — useful when the additional work was sourced differently.

Good to Know: Negative cost impacts (scope reductions or credits) are just as important to document as additions. They keep your project value accurate and give clients confidence in your transparency.

Related Articles

• Understanding the Project Detail Page
• Managing Project Financials
• Understanding Commission Calculations