What is a scope of work? With a free template.

A scope of work is the part of a job that decides whether you get paid for change orders or eat them. Here is what it is, what to put in one, and a template you can copy.

What a scope of work is

A scope of work, sometimes called an SOW, is the written description of exactly what you are going to do on a job: the work included, the materials and finishes, who supplies what, the schedule, and just as importantly what is not included. It turns a verbal "yeah, we will handle the bathroom" into a list both sides agreed to, so the job you priced is the job you build.

On a small job it can be a paragraph. On a bigger one it is a page or two attached to the estimate or contract. Either way its job is the same: remove the gray area where change orders and arguments live.

What to include in a scope of work

• The parties and the property. Your business, the client, and the job address.
• A clear summary of the work. One or two sentences a homeowner could read back to you.
• The work included, line by line. The actual tasks - demo, rough-in, install, finish - in the order they happen.
• Materials, finishes, and who supplies them. Model numbers and grades where they matter; note any owner-supplied items.
• Exclusions. The single most valuable section. Spell out what you are not doing (permits, paint, landscaping repair, anything behind a wall you have not opened).
• Schedule and milestones. Start window, rough duration, and what triggers each payment.
• Price and payment terms. The total or the basis, the deposit, and the payment schedule (net terms like Net 15 or Net 30 live here).
• Change orders. How extra work gets priced and approved before it happens.

A scope of work template

Copy this, fill in the brackets, and attach it to your estimate. It is deliberately plain - clear beats clever when money is on the line.

SCOPE OF WORK

Contractor: [Your business name, license #]
Client: [Client name]
Project address: [Address]
Date: [Date]

1. SUMMARY OF WORK
[One or two plain sentences describing the project.]

2. WORK INCLUDED
- [Task 1, e.g. Demo existing fixtures and haul away]
- [Task 2, e.g. Rough-in plumbing for new vanity and tub]
- [Task 3, e.g. Install owner-selected tile, 100 sq ft]
- [Task 4, e.g. Set fixtures, test, and clean up]

3. MATERIALS & FINISHES
- Supplied by contractor: [list]
- Supplied by owner: [list]
- Allowances: [item - $ amount]

4. NOT INCLUDED (EXCLUSIONS)
- [e.g. Permits and inspection fees]
- [e.g. Painting beyond patch of work areas]
- [e.g. Concealed conditions not visible at bid]

5. SCHEDULE
- Start: [window]   Estimated duration: [days/weeks]
- Milestones: [e.g. rough-in complete, finish complete]

6. PRICE & PAYMENT
- Total / basis: [$ amount or T&M basis]
- Deposit: [$ / %]   Progress payments: [schedule]
- Payment terms: [e.g. due on completion / Net 15]

7. CHANGE ORDERS
Any work outside this scope is quoted and approved in writing
before it begins. Verbal requests are not authorized work.

Accepted by:
Client: ______________________  Date: __________
Contractor: __________________  Date: __________

How the scope ties to your estimate

The scope and the estimate are two views of the same job. The cleanest workflow builds the estimate from line items - the same tasks and materials you list in the scope - so the number you quote and the work you promise never drift apart. When you price a job from your own rates, the scope writes itself out of the line items, and when a client approves it the whole thing becomes the invoice and the budget you cost against.

That is exactly how billWright is built: estimate from your own price book, and the approved estimate carries straight into the invoice and a job budget. See it by trade - electrical, plumbing, HVAC, roofing, concrete - or read the estimating walkthrough.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Skipping the exclusions. What you leave out is what protects your margin. Write it down.
• Vague tasks. "Fix the bathroom" invites a fight. "Demo, rough-in, set fixtures, finish tile" does not.
• No change-order rule. If extras are not priced before the work, you are financing them.
• Letting the scope and estimate drift. Price the work you scoped, scope the work you priced.