A change order is a written, signed amendment to the contract that records added or removed scope, the price change and the schedule impact. The rule is simple: no signature, no work. Verbal approvals are the single biggest source of unpaid construction work.
Keep it fast enough that it does not stall the job.
Original contract reference, a clear description of the change, itemised price, revised contract total, added calendar days, and a signature with a date. If the change affects a warranty or removes a previously included item, say so.
Change orders feel confrontational mid-job, so contractors absorb 'small' extras. Five hundred dollars absorbed on twenty jobs a year is ten thousand dollars of pure profit gone. Clients almost always accept changes that are documented promptly and priced clearly; resentment comes from surprises at the final invoice.
Write hidden-condition language into the original contract: rot, mould, non-code wiring, unmarked utilities and structural surprises are billed as change orders at stated unit rates. Agreeing the rate up front removes the argument later.
WinkScope creates a change order from the project, prices it against your price book, sends it for e-signature with a tracked link, updates the contract total and schedule automatically, and adds it to the next invoice. The client sees an audit trail of what they approved and when.
Yes, and you should mark it up the same way you mark up base scope. Changes are usually less efficient than planned work, so some contractors apply a higher markup to them.
Do not perform the work. Confirm in writing that the work is on hold pending approval, and document the schedule impact.