A written amendment to an existing contract that documents changes to the scope, price, or timeline of work.
A change order is a written modification to an existing agreement that records a change to the scope, price, or schedule of work. When a client requests work beyond what was originally agreed, a change order documents the new work, the additional cost, and any timeline adjustment before the work begins.
Getting change orders signed is critically important for service businesses. Doing additional work without a signed change order puts you in a weak position when the client disputes the extra charges at the end. "But I sent an email about it" is rarely sufficient if the client has a good-faith (or bad-faith) memory that the work was included in the original scope.
Good change order practices: require written approval before doing any out-of-scope work, make the process fast and easy (a simple one-page document or email acknowledgment), include the additional cost and expected delivery adjustment, and have the client sign or confirm in writing before you start. Building a change order habit into your workflow is one of the most financially protective things a service business can do.