Change order text message template
The fastest way to get a change order approved in the field is the one your client already checks constantly: text. Below are three templates — asking for approval, confirming a verbal yes, and following up before work starts. Copy, fill in the brackets, send.
Asking for approval — small add-on (under $500)
Hi [NAME] — that [DESCRIPTION] you asked about would be $[AMOUNT] and add about [X] to the schedule. Reply YES to approve and I'll get it done. Thanks!
Asking for approval — larger add-on ($500+)
Hi [NAME] — following up on the [DESCRIPTION] we talked about. Price is $[AMOUNT], adds [X] to the schedule. Since it's a bigger add, can you reply with your full name and the amount ($[AMOUNT]) to confirm? Once I have that I'll get started.
Confirming a verbal yes in writing
Hi [NAME], just confirming in writing what we discussed at the house today: [DESCRIPTION] for $[AMOUNT], adds [X] to the schedule. Reply CONFIRM and I'll add it to the job.
Why text beats email for this
Email gets buried. A text gets read in minutes, which matters when the crew is standing there waiting on an answer before they can keep working. The tradeoff is that a text thread is easy to lose track of once you have a dozen jobs running — which is fine for one job, and a real problem once you're trying to reconstruct approvals across a busy month.
Two rules that make these work
- Always include the dollar amount, in the text itself.“Sounds good” with no number attached proves nothing later.
- Save the reply somewhere you can find it in three weeks. A screenshot in a dedicated folder is better than nothing. A system that timestamps and attaches it to the job automatically is better than a screenshot.
The version that files itself
Swornbook sends the same kind of message as a one-tap approval link instead of a plain text — your client taps approve, and the price, schedule impact, timestamp, and name land on the job record automatically, connected to photos and the final invoice. Free 14-day trial, no card: send my next approval link →
These templates are free for your business use. They are not legal advice.