What a plumbing change order is for
Plumbers open walls and floors for a living, and what is behind them is rarely what the estimate assumed. A change order turns a surprise into a decision: here is what we found, here is what it costs to fix properly, here is what it does to the schedule. Signed before the extra work, it keeps the relationship and the final payment intact.
What to put on a plumbing change order
- The original estimate number and amount.
- What was found, where, and a photo if possible.
- Added lines for the fix, and any credit for work no longer needed.
- The new total and any days added.
- Whether an inspection has to be rescheduled.
- The customer's signature before you proceed.
A worked example
During a bathroom rough-in the crew finds the old galvanized supply crumbling past where the estimate planned to tie in, and the subfloor under the toilet flange is soft. The customer also decides to keep the existing tub.
| Line | Qty | Unit | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Replace galvanized supply back to main with PEX | 22 | ft | Your price |
| Cut out and replace subfloor at toilet flange | 1 | each | Your price |
| Credit: tub removal and new tub drain | -1 | each | Your price |
The credit line has a minus quantity, so the change total nets the added work against the tub that stays. If the rough-in inspection has to move, put the days in the Days added box.
Line items plumbers use
| Line item | Unit | How to write it |
|---|---|---|
| Service call and diagnosis | each | The trip and the first part of the visit, before any repair is agreed. |
| Water heater, tank, installed | each | Gallons, fuel type and the brand, plus whether the venting changes. |
| Expansion tank | each | Often required with a new heater on a closed system; check local code. |
| Drain cleaning, main line | each | Say where you cleaned from: a cleanout, a pulled toilet or the roof vent. |
| Camera inspection of sewer line | each | Say whether the customer gets the video. |
| Replace toilet fill valve and flapper | each | The common running-toilet fix, priced as one repair. |
| Replace faucet, customer supplied | each | Say who supplied the faucet; it changes who stands behind it. |
| Replace shutoff valve | each | Angle stops under sinks and toilets, or the main shutoff. |
| Repipe with PEX | ft | By the foot, or by fixture if that is how you price it. |
| Garbage disposal, installed | each | Horsepower and whether the old one is hauled away. |
| Sump pump, replaced | each | Include the check valve if you replace it too. |
| Wall or ceiling opening and patch | each | Say whether you patch, or leave it open for a drywall finisher. |
| Permit | each | Water heaters and repipes often need one; pass it through at cost or include it. |
| Plumbing labor | hour | Hourly labor for work you cannot price flat. |
Terms and deposit language for plumbing
- Deposit. Most repair calls take no deposit; the customer pays when the leak is fixed. On repipes, remodel rough-ins and sewer work, a deposit at signing covers the material order and the schedule slot. Check your state's rules on deposits.
- Payment. Repairs are due on completion. Larger jobs split into a deposit, a payment at rough-in or inspection, and the balance at final.
- Warranty. Say how long you stand behind your labor, and that parts carry the manufacturer's warranty. If the customer supplied a fixture, say your warranty covers the install only.
- Old pipe can break when you touch it; say what happens if a valve or fitting fails when you open the system.
- Openings in walls or ceilings are cut where needed and patched rough unless the estimate says finished drywall.
- Drain clearing does not fix a broken pipe; if the camera shows one, the repair is quoted separately.
How to fill it in
- Put in the original estimate number and amount.
- Write what changed in the reason box, plainly.
- Add the new work; type a minus quantity for any credit.
- Fill in the days added.
- Print it for a signature on site, or send it from Koira to sign by phone.
Free tools for plumbing
- Plumbing cost estimator
- Water heater replacement cost calculator
- Plumbing labor rate calculator
- Pipe volume calculator
The same change order for other trades: appliance repair, auto detailing, carpet cleaning, chimney, house cleaning, commercial cleaning, concrete, drywall, electrical, fence, flooring, garage door, general contractor, gutter, handyman, hvac, irrigation, junk removal, landscaping, lawn care, locksmith, moving, painting, pest control, pool service, pressure washing, remodeling, roofing, septic, snow removal, solar, tree service, waterproofing, window cleaning.
More for plumbers: how plumbers run on Koira.