THE CONTRACTOR'S GUIDE 01 / CONSTRUCTION COMPANION USA
How to use your construction contract template. Choose your trade. Pick the right residential or commercial agreement. Select your state. Fill in your job details. Put it to work — and use it again on the next project.
CONSTRUCTION COMPANION USA EXAMPLE ONLY
A sample of the details you'll complete — not a finished legal document.
A construction contract should be something you can actually use — not another complicated job before the real job starts.
Our templates are shaped by real on-the-job contractor experience and informed by attorney knowledge. This guide shows you how to choose, complete, review, and reuse yours with confidence and the right checks for your state.
Five straightforward steps. No complicated software. No monthly commitment.
Start with the work you actually do. Explore roofing, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, solar, painting, remodeling, landscaping, windows and doors, and other available trades.
Every trade brings different risks. Your contract should reflect that — from materials and access to changes in scope and getting paid.
Explore our contract librarySelect the agreement that fits how you work — for example, a residential roofing installation contract or a commercial roofing agreement. Some trades also have separate installation, service, and maintenance agreements.
Read the product page and what's included before buying. The right trade and project type matter.
On the product page, use the Choose Your State or State dropdown to select the U.S. state where the project will take place, then purchase that edition.
We offer editions for all 50 states across the current product range. Always check whether county, city, licensing, or job-specific rules require changes or extra notices.
Explore the state contract guideUse your purchased template to enter the correct contractor and customer names, project address, precise scope of work, contract price, payment schedule, dates, and other information that applies.
Don't rush through the details. A good contract should describe the job people have agreed to — not leave the important conversations unwritten.
See exactly what to completeCheck every clause, add any required notices, confirm the customer understands the terms, and arrange for the correct signatures. Keep a completed copy with your project records.
When you take on your next job, start with a fresh copy of your purchased template and enter the new project details. Your licence permits reuse within your purchasing business; there is no need to buy it again for every job.
Read the contract usage licenceNew project? Fresh copy. Same purchased template.
Contractors pay enough already.
Your contract shouldn't become another monthly bill.
Fuel. Materials. Insurance. Tools. Payroll. There is always something else to pay for when you're running a construction business. We don't believe basic contract paperwork should pull contractors into an endless subscription service.
We want contractors spending money on their work — not renting access to their paperwork.
Purchase the agreement you need. No recurring billing for the template.
Complete a fresh copy for new projects within your purchasing business.
Enter your own names, agreed prices, payment milestones and project details. You remain in charge of your contracts.
These are the details contractors should think about before handing a contract to a customer. Your particular template and the law may require more.
Contractor's legal business name, customer or client legal name, relevant business contact details, and applicable licensing or registration details.
The correct job-site address, state, relevant property details, and any site conditions or access arrangements that need to be recorded.
The work being provided, materials, finishes, models, quantities, exclusions, debris removal, and what happens if hidden conditions are discovered.
The total contract amount, legally permitted deposit, progress-payment milestones, due dates, taxes where applicable, and how extras are priced. For example, a $12,500 job is only an illustration — use your actual agreed amount.
Expected start and completion dates, reasonable project sequencing, and how weather, access problems, changes, or other delays will be handled.
How additional work is requested, priced, approved, and documented. Where required, use signed written change orders before extra work begins.
Check permits, licensing, insurance, warranty rules, consumer cancellation disclosures, lien notices, payment restrictions, and other required state or local language.
Review the full document, attach referenced specifications or drawings, collect appropriate signatures and dates, and provide copies to the relevant parties.
Not every item applies to every contract. Requirements vary by state, trade, project size, commercial or residential setting, and local law. This is a general checklist, not legal advice.
Construction contract requirements are not identical across America. Depending on the job, you may need specific written terms, statutory notices, payment rules, permits or cancellation language.
A state-specific edition is a starting point. It does not replace checking the law for your job or getting advice from a qualified attorney licensed in your state.
The California Contractors State License Board states that home-improvement projects over $500 require a written contract, and that changes to a home-improvement agreement must also be in writing.
Source: California CSLB ↗For certain qualifying in-home or off-premises consumer sales, the FTC's Cooling-Off Rule gives buyers three business days to cancel. It does not apply to every contract or transaction.
Source: U.S. FTC ↗Contract requirements can differ between residential and commercial work, locations and trades. Before signing, check your state's current rules and the notices or clauses the specific project needs.
Explore state editions ↗Buying a template does not create an attorney-client relationship. You are responsible for confirming that your completed agreement complies with applicable federal, state and local law, and for obtaining legal review where needed.
Read our legal disclaimer ↗Because a contract should make your next job easier, not harder.
Yes. Your purchase permits you to complete and reuse the template for projects undertaken by your purchasing construction business. Start with a fresh copy and change the job details each time. You cannot resell or redistribute blank templates to other businesses. See the full license.
No. This is a one-time purchase, not a subscription. Where the product page says so, eligible purchases also include access to available updates for 18 months.
Each state can have different construction contract requirements. Select the correct edition for each project's location and check whether you need to purchase a different state edition. Purchasing one state edition does not automatically license every other state edition.
No document can guarantee you will never have a dispute, get paid in every circumstance, or win a legal claim. A carefully completed contract can help set expectations and record what the parties agreed, but legal compliance and project-specific review remain your responsibility.
No. The templates are general resources informed by contractor experience and attorney knowledge. Purchasing or using one does not create an attorney-client relationship or include individualized legal advice.
Check your order confirmation and email, including spam. If access is missing, contact support@constructioncompanioncontracts.com with your order number. Read the delivery policy.
Pick the trade. Choose the contract. Select your state. Make it your job. Keep using it.
