How do you get a client to approve a change order?

Explain why the change is needed, show the cost broken down so it looks fair, present it before you do the work rather than as a surprise on the final invoice, and make signing easy. Change orders presented up front and priced transparently get approved far more often than after-the-fact ones.

When should you issue a change order?

As soon as the scope changes and before you do the changed work. Issuing it up front — not at closeout — keeps the client's expectations aligned with the final bill and protects your right to be paid for the extra work.

How to Write a Change Order That Gets Approved

Q: How do you write a change order?

Describe the change in plain language, itemize the cost so it reads as fair rather than arbitrary, state the new contract total and any schedule impact, and present it to the client before the work starts — then get a signature. Clarity and timing are what get it approved.

The change order that gets signed without friction isn't the cheapest one — it's the clearest one, presented at the right time. Most disputes over changes aren't really about the money; they're about a client feeling surprised. Write it well and the signature is easy. Here's how.

Describe the change plainly

Say exactly what's changing, in language the client understands — not "revise MEP rough-in per field conditions," but "add a heated floor and move the shower valve to the opposite wall." A change the client can picture is a change they can approve.

Itemize the cost so it reads as fair

A single lump sum invites suspicion; an itemized breakdown reads as reasonable. Show the added materials, labor, and subs — and make sure you've actually priced it right, including the ripple cost, so you're not underwater on the change you're asking them to sign.

Present it before the work — not after

The single biggest factor Timing. A change order presented before the work gets approved far more often than one that shows up as a surprise line on the final invoice. Up-front feels like a choice; after-the-fact feels like a trap.

The moment scope changes, write it up and get sign-off before you build it. It protects your payment and keeps the client's expectations lined up with the final bill.

Make it easy to say yes

State the revised contract total and any schedule change clearly, and give them a simple way to sign. The less effort approval takes, the faster it happens. A clean, professional document also signals that you run an organized business — which makes the yes easier still.

Generate a professional change order in seconds

The BidSolid Change-Order Calculator prices the change fairly — direct plus ripple, on margin — and generates a clean, client-ready document with the change, the itemized cost, the revised contract total, and signature lines. Present it up front and get the yes. One-time $99.

See the tool — $99

Frequently asked

How do you write a change order?

Describe the change plainly, itemize the cost, state the new total and schedule impact, present it before the work, and get a signature.

How do you get it approved?

Explain the why, show a fair itemized cost, present it up front rather than as a surprise, and make signing easy.

When should you issue it?

As soon as scope changes and before you do the work — never at closeout.

Educational only; not legal advice. Contract terms vary — consult your own agreement.