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The first pages of the Construction Variation Order template

Construction Variation Order

Document template for Google Docs and Word

Make a copy in Google Docs
Type
Document
Price
Free
Pages
3 · US Letter
Style
Modern
Difficulty
Beginner
Updated
November 6, 2026

Every page (3)

Overview

On a building site, a change agreed on the phone can cost weeks of argument later. This variation order template records a proposed change once, with the reason, the cost, the effect on the end date and the options, and it asks the approver for an explicit decision before work proceeds. The change log behind it keeps the contract baseline honest.

The sample describes Marlowe Green Group, a fictional contractor, asking for a $38,500 drainage upgrade under Block C that adds six working days to the programme. Replace the references, the scope, the figures and the approver with your own project data, and keep the reject option on the form. Add every decision to the change log, including rejected requests.

Useful for

  • A variation for extra work found on site that the client must approve
  • A design change from a consultant that changes both cost and programme
  • A change log entry for a contract administrator reviewing claims

What's included

  • Title block with the change reference, contract, status and summary
  • Stats strip with the change cost, its share of the contract and the programme effect
  • Scope, cost and time sections with the figures and the reason
  • Decision box with approve, defer and reject options
  • Sign-off sheet with names, roles and the contracts lead
  • Make-it-yours guide with five steps to use the form

How to use it

  1. 1

    Click Make a copy in Google Docs, then confirm on the Google page. The copy is saved to your own Google Drive.

  2. 2

    Enter your change reference, contract number and dates at the top of the form.

  3. 3

    Replace the sample scope, cost and time figures with your own, and check each total.

  4. 4

    Name the approver and set a decision deadline, then record the outcome in the change log.

  5. 5

    Delete the guide page, then send the form to the client or present it from Google Docs.

What you need

Requirements

  • A Google account with access to Google Drive

Works with

  • Google Docs
  • Microsoft Word (download the .docx)

Questions

Are Marlowe Green Group, Oakfield Homes and the figures real?

No. Marlowe Green Group, the client, its staff, the contract numbers, costs and dates are fictional sample data. Replace them with your own project records before you send a variation to any client.

Can work start before the variation is approved?

Not without a written instruction. Starting work first leaves the cost and time effect unagreed, and the claim becomes a dispute. Where urgent safety work is needed, record the instruction and the reason, then price it on the form straight away.

Should rejected changes stay on the log?

Yes. A rejected change still has a reason and a record. Keeping it on the log stops the same request returning later without the decision being visible to the approver or the auditor.

  • #variation-order
  • #change-request-form
  • #construction-change-order
  • #contract-variation
  • #change-control-log

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