The fastest way to close jobs and get paid, from the truck or the jobsite.

15–30% higher project profitability

Contractors who implement disciplined change order management — standardized processes, relentless documentation, and never performing work without signed authorization — report meaningful gains in project profitability.

Industry research

If it's not documented, it didn't happen

Verbal approvals and undocumented additions often never make it to the final invoice. One or two missed change orders can be the difference between profit and break-even — you're essentially giving work away.

Practitioner research

25.8% → 22.8% margin erosion

Unmanaged change orders can shrink average profit margins on smaller construction projects. For home builders, margins can fall from 15% to 12.6%. Properly captured and documented change orders preserve margins that would otherwise erode.

Construction profitability study

80% vs 65% schedule reliability

Contractors with highly consistent change order processes meet or exceed schedules 80% of the time, compared to 65% for less-disciplined peers. For specialty contractors, this discipline leads to 87% profit reliability.

FMI Research (243 executives, 84 project managers)

Recover overhead & profit on every increase

Under AIA contract standards, contractors are entitled to include overhead and profit in change orders for net increases in the contract sum. Without documentation, that recovery is impossible.

AIA contract standards

Document and bill all extra work immediately

The CFMA cites change order discipline — document and bill all extra work immediately — as one of six core strategies for improving construction profit margins, alongside accurate estimating and overhead management.

CFMA best practices

Documentation is financial protection

Standardized change request forms, written follow-ups after verbal conversations, and itemized pricing ensure profit margins stay appropriate. Never proceed with change order work without written approval.

Practitioner research