Use this remodel change-order checklist before work continues

A good change order explains the new fact, complete scope, price, credits, schedule, approvals, and the records needed before changed work begins.

A change order is not just permission to do something different. It changes the written agreement about scope, price, materials, schedule, responsibility, and the finished result. Slow the decision down long enough to understand why the change exists and what it affects beyond the room in front of you.

Ask what new fact changed the scope

Request a plain description of the condition, where it was found, and why the contracted work cannot continue as written. Photographs, measurements, test results, plan notes, or inspection comments should support the explanation. Separate a concealed condition from an owner preference, design omission, code requirement, allowance adjustment, or contractor error; the contract may treat each differently.

Do not approve demolition or permanent work merely to keep the crew busy when the cause and responsibility remain unclear. Emergency stabilization may need immediate action, but the permanent correction should still be documented.

Write the complete added and deleted scope

The change should identify labor, materials, quantities, model or grade, preparation, protection, disposal, permits, inspections, testing, finish restoration, and cleanup. It should also say what original work is removed or credited. A line such as “repair framing as needed” leaves the most consequential details open.

Ask who owns design, engineering, trade coordination, and inspection. If walls are open, record what will be concealed before they close. For a broader comparison framework, use the contractor quote guide.

Price the change in a form you can review

Request the added price, credits, tax, markup, allowances, unit prices, and any deposit or payment-schedule change. Clarify whether the amount is fixed, time-and-materials, or an estimate with a limit. Do not compare only the net number when a credit has silently reduced quality or removed necessary finish work.

A large surprise can pressure a financing decision. Settle the repair diagnosis and total project cost before evaluating how to pay. Keep financing information separate from contractor scope so urgency does not hide the cost or terms of borrowing.

Put schedule consequences on the same page

Record added workdays, material lead times, inspection dependencies, access changes, and the new substantial-completion date. Identify work that can continue safely and work that must wait. If the change affects temporary housing, storage, appliance availability, or weather protection, include those practical consequences before approval.

Do not rely on a hallway conversation

Both parties should sign or otherwise approve the same written change under the contract process before the changed work begins, except for a genuine emergency handled under the agreement. Keep the proposal, questions, approval, photographs, invoices, inspection records, and updated schedule together. Confirm whether electronic messages satisfy the contract’s notice requirements.

Licensing, permits, lien notices, cancellation rights, and change-order rules vary by location. Use the state or local licensing authority and building department for current requirements, and obtain legal advice when responsibility or contract rights are disputed.

Close the change as its own small project

Before final payment, compare the installed result with the approved change, collect product and warranty records, and document concealed work and passed inspections. Add unresolved items to the punch list. Then update the total project budget and contingency so the next decision starts from the real remaining amount—not the original estimate.