For plumbers
Change orders for plumbers
Plumbing quotes are written before the wall is open, and what's behind it often changes the job. A change order the customer signs off on before you fix it means you get paid for the extra work instead of eating it.
Updated
Three extras plumbers run into
Example 1 · Bathroom vanity and faucet swap
Corroded shutoff valves behind the wall
Why, in the customer's words
Both shutoff valves under the sink are rusted and won't close all the way. If we leave them, you can't turn the water off to this sink in an emergency, and they could start leaking after we reconnect.
- Replace shutoff valve, quarter-turn2 × $145.00$290.00
- Open and patch access panel1 × $95.00$95.00
| Before this change | $1,240.00 |
|---|---|
| This change | + $385.00 |
| New total | $1,625.00 |
Example 2 · 50-gallon water heater replacement
Code-required expansion tank
Why, in the customer's words
Your home has a check valve on the water main, so the inspector will want an expansion tank on the new heater. Without it, pressure builds every time the water heats up, which wears out the heater and the valves.
- Thermal expansion tank, installed1 × $285.00$285.00
- Tank strap and fittings1 × $45.00$45.00
| Before this change | $2,150.00 |
|---|---|
| This change | + $330.00 |
| New total | $2,480.00 |
Example 3 · Basement bathroom rough-in
Rerouting a drain around a floor joist
Why, in the customer's words
The drain on the plan runs straight through a floor joist. Cutting it would weaken your floor, so we need to run the pipe around it, which takes more fittings and a few more hours.
- Reroute 2-inch drain around joist1 × $420.00$420.00
- PVC fittings and hangers1 × $65.00$65.00
- Plumber labor (hours)2.5 × $110.00$275.00
| Before this change | $4,800.00 |
|---|---|
| This change | + $760.00 |
| New total | $5,560.00 |
Example prices in US dollars. Yours come from your own Products & Services in Jobber.
How it works for plumbers
Film it under the sink
Take a photo or a short video of the corroded valve while the cabinet or the wall is open.
Lines from your list
Autofill writes the reason and picks lines like a shutoff valve or an expansion tank from your Products & Services in Jobber, at your prices.
The customer signs off
Text it from your phone. They see the video, the lines and the new total, and sign off on their phone while you're still there.
Back on the Jobber job
The new lines, a pinned note and the signed PDF land on the job, so the extra work makes it onto the invoice.
What the customer sees
The customer sees the rusted valves, a reason they understand and each part with its price. Right above the Sign off button they see what the job was, what this change adds and the new total.
Bathroom vanity and faucet swap
Corroded shutoff valves behind the wall
Both shutoff valves under the sink are rusted and won't close all the way. If we leave them, you can't turn the water off to this sink in an emergency, and they could start leaking after we reconnect.
| Before this change | $1,240.00 |
|---|---|
| This change | + $385.00 |
| New total | $1,625.00 |
Questions
Do I need a change order for a part the inspector requires?
Yes, if it wasn't in the quote. An expansion tank or a new shutoff is still extra work the customer pays for. A signed change order shows they agreed before you installed it.
Can the customer sign off while I'm still on site?
Yes. They open the link on their phone, read it and sign off, with nothing to install and no account. You can keep working the moment they do.
What if they want a cheaper valve?
They tap Ask for changes and say so. You change the line and send it again. Nothing goes on the Jobber job until they sign off.