Free Contractor Resources
Free Contractor Contract Templates and Payment Forms
Clear written agreements can help contractors and customers understand project scope, payment expectations, and the process for approving changes.
The examples below are starting points you can copy and adapt for your business. They are not complete, state-specific legal contracts. Have a qualified professional review agreements before using them with customers.
What Should a Contractor Agreement Include?
A written contractor agreement commonly identifies the parties, property, scope of work, exclusions, pricing, payment schedule, estimated timeline, change-order process, and dispute procedures. Additional terms and disclosures may be legally required depending on the work and location.
Contractor Templates You Can Copy
Basic Contractor Service Agreement
Use this outline to organize essential terms for a residential service or repair project.
Select and copy the text below to customize it.
CONTRACTOR SERVICE AGREEMENT - WORKING EXAMPLE
Contractor business name: ______________________
Customer name: ________________________________
Project property address: ______________________
Agreement date: _______________________________
1. SCOPE OF WORK
Describe the specific services and materials included:
________________________________________________
________________________________________________
Work specifically excluded:
________________________________________________
2. PROJECT SCHEDULE
Estimated start date: __________________________
Estimated completion date: _____________________
Schedule assumptions or dependencies: __________
3. CONTRACT PRICE
Agreed project price: $_________________________
Taxes, allowances, and exclusions: ______________
4. PAYMENT TERMS
Deposit, if legally permitted: $________________
Progress payment milestones: ___________________
Final payment due: _____________________________
5. CHANGES TO THE WORK
Changes to scope, price, or schedule require
written approval by authorized parties.
6. COMMUNICATION AND APPROVALS
Customer decision-maker: _______________________
Preferred communication method: ________________
7. DISAGREEMENTS
Document concerns promptly and follow the
dispute-resolution process agreed by the parties.
8. SIGNATURES
Contractor: __________________ Date: ___________
Customer: ___________________ Date: ___________
Add all notices, cancellation rights, licensing
information, warranties, and other terms required
by applicable law before using this agreement.
Contractor Change-Order Form
Document additional work and obtain approval before changing the original project agreement.
Select and copy the text below to customize it.
CONTRACTOR CHANGE ORDER - WORKING EXAMPLE
Original agreement date: _______________________
Project address: _______________________________
Change-order number: __________________________
Date requested: ________________________________
DESCRIPTION OF REQUESTED CHANGE
________________________________________________
________________________________________________
Reason for change: _____________________________
ADJUSTMENT TO CONTRACT PRICE
Additional cost or credit: $____________________
Revised total contract price: $_________________
SCHEDULE IMPACT
Additional or reduced days: ____________________
Revised estimated completion: _________________
APPROVAL
This change modifies the original agreement
only as specifically described above.
Contractor: __________________ Date: ___________
Customer: ___________________ Date: ___________
Check whether applicable law requires additional
notices or specific change-order wording.
Construction Progress-Payment Schedule
Set payment expectations around defined milestones and work completed.
Select and copy the text below to customize it.
PROJECT PAYMENT SCHEDULE - WORKING EXAMPLE
Project: _______________________________________
Customer: ______________________________________
Contractor: ____________________________________
Total contract price: $_________________________
MILESTONE 1
Description: ___________________________________
Amount due: $__________________________________
Payment due condition: _________________________
MILESTONE 2
Description: ___________________________________
Amount due: $__________________________________
Payment due condition: _________________________
MILESTONE 3
Description: ___________________________________
Amount due: $__________________________________
Payment due condition: _________________________
FINAL PAYMENT
Amount due: $__________________________________
Payment due condition: _________________________
Total scheduled payments: $_____________________
Verify that the schedule complies with applicable
deposit, progress-payment, and retainage rules.
Payment Dispute Documentation Checklist
If a customer questions an invoice, gather the relevant records before responding. Accurate documentation can help both parties understand the disagreement.
- Signed contract and any legally required notices
- Original estimate and agreed scope of work
- Approved change orders
- Invoices and payment history
- Photographs or records of completed work
- Relevant customer communications
- Inspection, delivery, or completion records
- Written summary of the specific disputed amount
For next steps, see our contractor payment dispute guide.
Important Legal Considerations
Residential construction and home-improvement contracts may be subject to state and local requirements involving licensing, mandatory disclosures, cancellation rights, deposits, warranties, insurance, lien notices, and payment procedures. These examples do not address every requirement and should not be used as final legal forms without appropriate review.
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