CHANGE ORDERS NAILED DOWN
Document it. Get it approved. Get it paid.

A Signed T&M Ticket Is Not Always an Approved Change Order

Your crew finishes an extra-work task. You fill out the time-and-materials (T&M) ticket. The general contractor's field representative signs it.

That signature matters. It may help show the work was performed and that someone in the field reviewed the hours, quantities, equipment or materials recorded for the day.

But it does not always mean the change-order price has been approved. It also may not authorize added contract time or satisfy the notice requirements in your subcontract.

For small electrical, plumbing, HVAC and drywall subcontractors, confusing those steps can leave important questions unanswered when the project team reviews the change request.

Here's how to keep the paperwork clear.

What a signed T&M ticket may establish

A daily T&M ticket usually records the work that happened. Depending on the form, the job and the contract, it might list:

Those records can be important support when you price and submit an extra-work request. They can also reduce arguments about what was actually done.

But the signature's meaning depends on the wording of the ticket, the signer's authority and the contract. Some signatures acknowledge quantities or receipt of the ticket without agreeing to rates, markup, changed scope or contract time.

Field acknowledgment, contract authorization and payment are separate questions.

Why the person signing matters

The superintendent or foreman who observes the work may be the right person to confirm that your crew was on site. That person may not be the person who can approve a change in the subcontract amount.

Your contract may specify who can direct additional work, what counts as written authorization, where notice must be sent and how soon it must arrive. Other project documents may add steps.

Before relying on a signature, check:

  1. Authority: who is authorized to approve added work, price or time?
  2. Notice: what does the contract require when the change first arises?
  3. Submission: who receives the formal request, with which backup and in what format?
  4. Record: what written document shows a decision on the submitted amount and days?

A signed daily ticket can sit inside that file as supporting evidence. Don't assume it replaces the other steps.

Example: an electrical crew moves conduit

Imagine the general contractor asks an electrical crew to reroute conduit after a layout change. The electrician records six labor hours and materials on a daily T&M ticket. A field representative signs it before the crew leaves.

The company saves the ticket, but the receipt goes into a separate email and photos stay on a worker's phone. A week later, the office sends a price with labor, materials and markup. The project manager asks for the written field direction, the supporting receipts and the basis for the rates.

The signed ticket helps establish what the crew recorded. It does not necessarily answer the price questions or establish that the reviewer accepted the request.

The better system is simple: give the change a single ID, such as CO-014, and use that ID everywhere.

A six-step recordkeeping workflow

This is the same basic sequence used in the free Change Order Readiness Checklist.

1. Capture the instruction

Write down who directed the change, their role, the date, and the related drawing, RFI or field condition. Confirm the direction in writing the same day where practical. Read the contract's notice clause and deadline; an informal follow-up message is not necessarily the formal notice your contract requires.

2. Record the field work daily

Complete the T&M ticket for each day of extra work. Save dated photos, material receipts and rental invoices under the same change ID. Ask the appropriate field representative to acknowledge the work and keep the record of what that acknowledgment means.

3. Build the pricing package

Describe the added scope in plain language. Break out labor, materials, equipment and lower-tier costs. Show contract-allowed rates, markup and taxes. State any schedule impact and include a short index of attachments.

4. Submit and follow up

Send the package to the required person using the contract's specified process. Keep proof of submission and a log of follow-up dates, responses and revisions. Don't overwrite earlier versions when something changes.

5. Record the actual approval

If authorized approval is issued, save the written record. Track the approved amount and approved days separately from what you originally requested. Note any reduced or disputed items so the team knows what remains open.

6. Track billing and payment

After the appropriate approval, carry the change into the pay application or other contract billing process. Record retainage, invoice or application reference, payments received and any remaining balance. Close the file only after the final status is documented.

An easy status check for small crews

A spreadsheet or even a clearly labeled notebook can separate these columns:

Change ID Submitted Approved Billed Paid
CO-014 Date and amount requested Date and amount actually approved Pay app / invoice Amount received / balance

These are not interchangeable. A request can be submitted but still under review. An approved change can remain unbilled. A billed amount can remain unpaid.

Questions small subcontractors ask

Does a superintendent's signature mean we have an approved change?

Not necessarily. Check what the signature says and whether that person had the contract authority to approve the change. An acknowledged daily field ticket often serves a different purpose from an executed change order.

Should we stop using signed daily tickets?

No. Well-kept, accurately completed T&M tickets can be useful field records. The point is to keep them as part of a complete package rather than assuming the signature settles price and authorization.

What if we were told verbally to proceed immediately?

Document who directed the work and when. Review the contract's notice and authorization requirements immediately and send the necessary communications in the required form. Seek qualified advice for disputed instructions, deadlines or rights.

How should we label the files?

Use the same change ID in the folder name, daily ticket, photo filenames, pricing package and follow-up correspondence. Example: CO-014_2026-11-10_TandM-Ticket.pdf. Keep prior revisions rather than deleting them.

Start with the free checklist

If your change-order files currently live in email threads, phones, paper folders and spreadsheets, start by checking what is actually on hand.

The free 2-page Change Order Readiness Checklist includes 27 practical checks in six steps, from field instruction through billing and closeout, plus a basic paperwork completeness score. It is a document organizer, not a test of legal validity or a prediction of approval or payment.

Get the free Change Order Readiness Checklist at https://payhip.com/b/w4BDk.

Get the free 2-page checklist on Payhip

Change Orders Nailed Down | Document it. Get it approved. Get it paid.

Important: This article provides general organizational education, not legal, accounting or contract advice. Notice, authorization, pricing, retainage, lien/bond and payment requirements vary by contract and jurisdiction. Review your own contract and confirm deadlines and disputed rights with a qualified professional. No approval or payment outcome is guaranteed.