Template · Variations
Building variation template (free, copy it off this page)
Every unpriced 'yeah, we can do that too' is money you may never see. This construction variation template puts the change, the price and the customer's signature on one page — no download, no email gate, just copy it.
Last updated 2026-07-11 · Reviewed by the TradieCue team
A building variation document needs eleven things: job reference, original contract or quote reference, date, what the work was and what it is now, the reason for the change, a cost breakdown (labour, materials, margin), GST, the revised contract total, a time-extension note, and signatures from both customer and contractor with the date of approval. The full template is below — copy it as is.
The template
VARIATION TO CONTRACT — No. [V-01]
Description of varied work
Was (per original contract): [What the contract or quote currently says — copy the exact scope line.]
Now (as varied): [What will actually be done instead of, or in addition to, the above.]
Reason for variation: [Who asked for it and why — e.g. owner request, hidden damage found, council/certifier requirement.]
Cost of variation
Effect on time
This variation [adds [X] working days to / does not change] the contract completion date. Revised completion date: [DD/MM/YYYY or "unchanged"].
Approval
Customer name & signature: ______________________ Date: [DD/MM/YYYY]
Contractor name & signature: ______________________ Date: [DD/MM/YYYY]
Work under this variation will not commence until both parties have signed.
What each field is for — and the classic ways to get it wrong
| Field | Why it's there | Classic mistake |
|---|---|---|
| Job + original contract reference | Ties the variation to one specific agreement, so it reads as a change to the deal — not a random extra invoice. | No reference, so at dispute time the customer argues it was "included in the quote". |
| Was / now description | The contrast is the whole document. "Was: single coat waterproofing. Now: two coats plus vanity wall" is arguable by nobody. | Writing only the new work. Without the "was", the customer can claim the original scope already covered it. |
| Reason for variation | Records who initiated it. Owner request, hidden damage and certifier requirement are treated very differently if things go sour. | Left blank, and six months later nobody remembers the customer asked for it. |
| Labour / materials / margin split | A breakdown gets approved faster than one bare number, and gives you a defensible basis if the amount is challenged. | One round figure that looks plucked from the air. |
| GST + revised contract total | Shows the new whole-of-contract number, inc. GST. The final invoice then matches a figure the customer has already signed. | Only the variation amount stated, so the final invoice "surprises" them anyway. |
| Time-extension note | Extra work takes extra days. Written now, it protects you from delay claims and "you said it'd be done by Friday". | Skipped entirely — the most forgotten field on the form, and the one that bites hardest on jobs with liquidated damages. |
| Signatures + date of approval | Approval before the work is what converts a favour into a debt. The date proves the sequence. | Signed after the work is done — better than nothing, but you've already given away your negotiating position. |
Not legal advice. State building laws — especially for registered builders on domestic building work — set their own variation requirements: written notice, specific wording, timing rules and cost thresholds vary by state. This generic template is a solid paper trail for small trade work, but it doesn't replace your contract's variation clause or your state's rules. When the numbers are big, check both.
For the fuller how-and-why — timing, photos, what to do when the customer won't sign — see what to include in a building variation and how to document extra work.
The template is free. Filling it in on site is the hard part
Nobody stops mid-job to type "was/now" into a form — which is why most variations die as verbal agreements. TradieCue exists for exactly that gap: you say the change out loud, and Timmy drafts the variation on the right job while you keep working.
“Nguyen extension — they want the laundry door moved to the east wall now, frame's already up so we're pulling studs and reframing. Add $650 plus GST, and it puts us back two days.”
Variation — Nguyen extension
Sample note for illustration. Your draft stays fully editable, and it isn't sent to anyone until you share it.
Your price stays yours — you said $650, the draft says $650, and Timmy never invents an amount. If you don't have a number yet, say the change anyway: Timmy holds the scope with the price open and asks you for it, rather than guessing. Nothing is sent until you've reviewed the draft and shared it yourself. Speak English, Chinese or a mix; the customer-facing document comes out in professional English.
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Common questions
Do I really need a signed variation for a small extra?
For a $50 favour, probably not. For anything you'd be annoyed to eat, yes — the pattern is that unsigned extras get haircut at invoice time. A one-page variation takes two minutes and turns 'extra stuff we did' into a documented debt.
What if the work is already done and nothing was signed?
Write it up anyway, dated honestly, and send it to the customer for acknowledgement before the invoice lands. It's weaker than prior approval, but a written was/now with a breakdown still beats a line item appearing from nowhere on the final bill.
Is this template compliant with my state's building laws?
Treat it as a paper trail, not a compliance document. Registered builders on domestic building work face state-specific variation rules (written notice, wording, timing). Check your contract and your state regulator; this page isn't legal advice.
Can TradieCue fill this template in for me?
Effectively, yes — say the change out loud and Timmy drafts a variation linked to the right job, with your price and a was/now scope. You review and edit the draft before anything is shared. See the variation capture feature page for how it works.
Try it on your next job
TradieCue is free to download on the App Store. Say a rough note about a real job and review the draft Timmy produces — nothing is sent until you share it yourself.
Free to download and try. TradieCue Pro is a subscription through Apple: A$24.99/month or A$239.99/year with a 30-day free trial. Apple confirms before any charge.