How to Fax Change Orders — Documented Construction Scope Changes
A change order rewrites the scope, price, or schedule of a construction contract after it has been signed, which makes it one of the most dispute-prone documents on any job. Contractors, owners, and project managers fax change orders so there is a timestamped record of exactly when the other party received the directive, which becomes the deciding evidence in arguments over whether work was authorized before it was performed. Fax is also the dependable fallback when email goes unread on an active site, and many subcontracts still require change orders to be delivered this way to trigger the agreed approval process. Send FAX Mail returns a confirmation that goes into the project file.
How to Fax a Change Orders
- 1Prepare the change order with the original contract number, project name, owner and contractor names, and a unique change order number — maintain sequential numbering across all project change orders
- 2Describe the scope change precisely: what is being added, deleted, or modified from the original scope of work, with enough specificity to avoid disputes about what was included in the price
- 3State the change in contract price (increase or decrease) and the change in contract completion date (if any) — both must be agreed to and documented
- 4Include backup documentation for the pricing (material quotes, labor estimates, subcontractor proposals) if required by the contract
- 5Obtain all required approvals before faxing — most contracts require the owner's written approval before the contractor proceeds with changed work
- 6Log in to Send FAX Mail, upload the signed change order, and fax to all required parties; save the delivery confirmation as part of the project documentation
Document Format
Dollar amounts must be stated clearly with no ambiguity about whether they represent increases or decreases to the contract sum. Schedule changes should state the new contract completion date, not just a number of days added. The change order should reference the specific contract clause or provision being modified. Signature blocks for all required parties (owner, architect, contractor) should be present — some contracts require all parties to sign before the change order is effective.
Legal Considerations
Most construction contracts contain specific notice and documentation requirements for change orders — proceeding with changed work before receiving written authorization can forfeit the contractor's right to additional compensation. The AIA A201 General Conditions and similar standard forms contain detailed provisions governing change orders, construction change directives, and the difference between the two. A timestamped fax delivery confirmation provides evidence of when the counterparty received the change order, which matters if a dispute arises about whether approval was given before work began. Retain all change orders and confirmations as part of the project closeout documentation.
Industries That Fax This Document
Faxing a Change Orders — FAQ
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