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Variation record template

A variation record is how you write down an extra the client asked for after the scope was set. Copy the blank below, or walk the change in Walkflow so the draft points at the moment it was said. You edit it before anyone treats it as agreed.

VARIATION RECORD

Job:
Address:
Date spoken:
Prepared by:

Original scope this sits outside
-

What was asked
-

Who asked, if they said
-

Where on site
-

What you said it would take
-

Status
- Spoken only / written here / still to confirm

Photo or moment this refers to
-

When to use a variation record template

  • The moment a client asks for something that was not in the original scope, even if they ask in passing on site.
  • When you find something unexpected while working and the client needs to decide what to do about it.
  • When you have agreed a change by phone or in person and want it written down before it is forgotten.
  • Before the extra work starts. A variation written after the work is a disagreement waiting to happen.

Example: extra power point

VARIATION RECORD

Job: Kitchen renovation
Address: 8 Park Ave
Date spoken: 20 October
Prepared by: A. Builder

Original scope this sits outside
- Scope lists four power points on the island wall. Nothing on the pantry wall.

What was asked
- One double power point on the pantry wall, above bench height.

Who asked, if they said
- Client, while walking through the framing.

Where on site
- Pantry wall, left of the door.

What you said it would take
- About an hour of labour plus a double outlet. Price to follow.

Status
- Spoken only / written here / still to confirm
- Written here. Still to confirm price.

Photo or moment this refers to
- Photo of the pantry wall framing, taken during the walkthrough.

Common mistakes

  • Doing the work first and recording it later

    The best time to write a variation is before the work starts, when the client can still say yes, no or not now.

  • Writing "extra work" with no detail

    State what was asked, where, and by whom. A year from now "extra work" tells nobody anything.

  • Leaving the price open and never closing it

    If the price is still to confirm, say so and set a date to confirm it. Then follow up.

  • Treating a spoken yes as agreed

    A conversation on site is easy to remember differently. Record it, and send the record to the client so there is a shared version.

  • No link to what you saw

    A photo or the moment in the walkthrough shows exactly what the change refers to.

Common questions

What is a variation record?

A variation record is a written note of a change to the agreed scope: what was asked, where, who asked, what it would take and where it stands. It is how an extra stops being something people only remember.

Is a variation record the same as a variation order?

Not necessarily. A variation order is usually a formal document agreed by both sides. This template is a record of the change for you to edit and, if you need a formal order, build on. Check what your contract requires.

When should I send it to the client?

As soon as it is written and before the work starts. Sending it early gives the client a chance to confirm, change or decline.

Can Walkflow draft a variation record?

Yes. Walk the change and say what was asked. Walkflow drafts the record and points it at the moment it was said. You edit it before anyone treats it as agreed.

Faster from the walk

Walkflow drafts this document from the walkthrough. You still edit it before it goes out. The lines stay linked to the photo or the moment you said them.

Create your first walkthrough

Read the guide: When someone says they never agreed to that

Related templates: Scope of work template, Quote items template