Contracts, Estimates and E-Signatures for Contractors
Most disputes on a job site do not start with bad work. They start with a handshake: a scope that was agreed out loud, a change that was approved by text, a price that the homeowner remembers differently three weeks later. Codec Document lets you turn the estimate into a signed contract before the first board is cut, and every change into a signed change order before you buy the material for it.
The job you finish is not always the job you get paid for
Contractors lose money in the gap between what was said and what was written. A homeowner asks for an upgraded fixture while you are on site, you say yes because you want to keep things moving, and at the end the invoice is higher than the number they had in their head. Without a signed change order, you are negotiating from memory against someone who has every reason to remember a lower number. The fix is not more paperwork; it is paperwork that takes thirty seconds and happens on the phone already in your pocket.
How it helps contractors
Estimate to contract in one step
Build a professional estimate with your logo, line items and totals, then send it for signature. When the client signs, the estimate becomes the agreed scope instead of a number they can reinterpret later.
Change orders signed on site
Write the change, the added cost and the added days, and have the homeowner sign on your phone or theirs before you leave the driveway. It is the single habit that prevents the most end-of-job arguments.
Subcontractors on the same paper
Send your electrician or drywall crew a subcontractor agreement with the same scope language you signed with the owner, so nobody downstream is working from a different version of the job.
Proof that holds up later
Every signature records who signed, when, from which IP address and a SHA-256 fingerprint of the document. If the contract is questioned months later, the file itself shows exactly what was agreed.
Home improvement contracts must be in writing in many states
Several states set specific rules for residential work. California Business and Professions Code § 7159, for example, requires home improvement contracts over a small threshold to be in writing, signed by both parties, and to include items such as the contractor license number, a payment schedule and a notice about mechanics liens. Under the federal ESIGN Act, 15 U.S.C. § 7001, a contract cannot be denied legal effect just because it was signed electronically. Rules differ by state, and some required notices have their own formatting requirements, so check your state licensing board before relying on any template.
The tile that cost eleven hundred dollars
A remodeler in Texas agreed on a bathroom at a fixed price. Halfway through, the homeowner chose a larger-format tile that needed a different substrate. He mentioned the extra cost in passing and kept working. At the final walkthrough the owner refused the $1,100 difference, saying she was never told the price. He now sends a one-page change order from his phone before any upgrade is ordered. He says the owners have not objected once, because they see the number and sign it on the spot.
What to put in writing before the first day on site
- The full scope of work, with materials, brands and finish levels named rather than described as standard.
- The total price or pricing method, the deposit and a payment schedule tied to visible milestones.
- How change orders are requested, priced and approved, and that no extra work starts without a signed one.
- Start date, estimated completion and what happens with delays caused by weather, inspections or the owner.
- Permits, inspections and who is responsible for pulling and paying for them.
- Warranty on workmanship, its duration and what it excludes.
Questions people ask about this
Can a homeowner sign my contract without creating an account?
Yes. They receive a link by text, WhatsApp or email, open it and sign in the browser. Asking a client to download an app or create an account is the most common reason a signature request goes unanswered.
Is an electronically signed construction contract valid?
Under the ESIGN Act and your state version of the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act, an electronic signature has the same legal effect as a handwritten one. State home improvement laws may still require specific terms or notices inside the contract itself.
Can I put my license number and logo on every document?
Yes. Your branding, license number and business details can appear on estimates, contracts and change orders so every document looks like it came from the same company.
What does it cost?
You can start free with no credit card. Paid plans add unlimited documents and signatures for businesses that send contracts every week.