Change order documentation requires a contemporaneous record of: what changed (specific scope difference from the original contract); when it was discovered or directed; who directed it (name, title, date); what the cost and time impact is; and the current approval status. Every potential change order should be submitted in writing within the contract’s specified notification period (commonly 7–14 days after the event).
Why Change Order Documentation Wins or Loses Claims
Change order disputes are almost always documentation disputes. The contractor says “we did extra work;” the owner says “it was in the original scope.” The contractor who can produce a daily report from the day the extra work was directed, a field sketch showing the changed condition, and a contemporaneous cost estimate wins the argument. The contractor who reconstructs the claim three months later from memory loses it.
The Change Order Documentation Process
Step 1: Identify the Change and Notify
When you encounter a condition that differs from the contract (changed subsurface, directed extra scope, changed plans), notify the owner’s representative in writing within the contract’s notice period. Written notification preserves your right to compensation. Verbal notification followed by written confirmation within 24 hours is acceptable. Notification after the notice period may forfeit your right to a change order entirely.
Step 2: Document the Changed Condition
On the day of the change or discovery:
- Photograph the changed condition (unexpected rock, soft soil, buried obstruction, wrong grade on existing structure)
- Record in the daily report: what was found, where, at what station, and who was present
- Take a field sketch with dimensions if the change involves layout or quantities
- Record any verbal directions from the inspector or owner
Step 3: Quantify the Cost
Develop a preliminary cost estimate before doing the work if possible. Include: extra labor hours (name, classification, wage rate), extra equipment hours (type, rate), extra materials (type, quantity, unit price), and time impact to the schedule. Submit this as a Change Order Request (COR) with the documentation from Step 2.
Step 4: Track Status
Maintain a change order log with: COR number, date submitted, description, claimed cost, owner response, approved amount, and approval date. Review the log at every project meeting. Unresolved CORs that accumulate to the end of the project are much harder to negotiate than individual CORs resolved as they arise.
See also: Daily Field Report Best Practices.