A construction variation order records a change to the agreed work before it reaches the invoice. It should state what changed, why, price effect, programme effect and who approved it.
Use this UK variation template for 2026 building and subcontract work.
Construction variation order template
Project/site: [ ]
Customer/contractor: [ ]
Original quote/subcontract: [ ]
Variation number: [VO- ]
Requested by: [ ]
Request date: [ ]
Change: [Plain description of added, omitted or revised work]
Reason: [Customer request, instruction, concealed condition, design revision or compliance requirement]
| Price effect | Amount |
|---|---|
| Added labour | £[ ] |
| Added materials/plant | £[ ] |
| Omitted work | -£[ ] |
| Net change before VAT | £[ ] |
| VAT treatment | £[ ] |
| Change to contract value | £[ ] |
Programme effect: [No change / add or remove days / new completion date]
Payment stage: [When the variation will be invoiced]
Approved by: [Name, method and date]
Worked example
VO-07: relocate utility sink and alter waste route
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Additional labour | £280 |
| Pipe, fittings and waste materials | £140 |
| Net variation | £420 |
The completion date moves by one working day. The customer approves by email on 16 September 2026, and the £420 is added to the second-fix stage.
Record omitted work
A variation can reduce the price. Use a negative amount and state the omitted scope.
Do not leave the original line on the final invoice and add a vague discount. The variation record should explain why the contract value changed.
Concealed conditions
When hidden damage or site conditions appear:
- stop the affected non-urgent work
- photograph or record the condition
- explain the required change
- price labour, materials and programme effect
- obtain instruction before proceeding
Emergency safety work may require immediate action, but record what happened and notify the customer promptly.
Daywork variations
If the price cannot be fixed in advance, agree daywork rates and records:
- operative names or grades
- hours
- materials
- plant
- date and location
- supervisor signature
The final variation value should refer to the signed sheets.
Keep the original quote
Do not overwrite the accepted quote. The job record should contain:
- original quote or subcontract
- each variation
- revised contract value
- payment plan
- invoices issued
- balance remaining
The builders quotation template explains the original scope and exclusions.
Add the variation to a stage invoice
Put the variation on its own line:
VO-07, relocate utility sink, approved 16 September 2026, £420
The stage payment invoice template shows how approved variations alter the contract total and current amount.
VAT and CIS
Apply the VAT treatment that belongs to the varied supply. For subcontract work under CIS, identify labour and materials so the deduction base can be recalculated.
Do not apply the original tax figures blindly after a change.
Variation email
Subject: VO-[number] for approval, [site]
Hi [name],
Variation VO-[number] is attached for [change]. It changes the price by £[amount] and [does not change / changes] completion by [period].
Please approve by [method] before the affected work proceeds.
Regards,
[your name]
Variation checklist for 2026
- Is the original contract referenced?
- Is the changed work specific?
- Is the reason recorded?
- Are added and omitted amounts separate?
- Is VAT treated correctly?
- Are labour and materials split for CIS?
- Is the programme effect stated?
- Is approval evidenced?
- Is the correct invoice stage named?
Sendinvo lets you duplicate a quote and carry agreed lines into the invoice. Keep the variation reference on the line so the customer can trace the change.