Free scope of work template
A scope of work — written up as a statement of work, or SOW — says exactly what you will deliver, when you start, what it costs and what it assumes, and both sides sign it before any work begins. Fill one in here and send it as a PDF or a link. Free, with no account.
What goes on a statement of work
- Your business name and contact details, and the client’s name.
- The project it covers — the address and a one-line name for the job — in “Project”.
- A number of its own (this one starts at SOW-101), so a change order or an invoice can point back to it.
- One line per deliverable, described so that anyone could tell whether it was done: “Install 14 ft of base cabinets”, not “Cabinets”.
- A price for each deliverable — or one fixed-fee line and the rest at $0.
- The start date. Milestones and an end date can go in as their own lines.
- Assumptions and exclusions: what the price takes for granted, and what is not included. The paper prints standard wording; specific exclusions go in as $0 lines.
- Two signatures, the client’s and yours, each dated.
A worked example
A kitchen remodel in a rental unit. The owner is supplying the cabinets and has a plumber of their own, so the scope says so in writing rather than leaving it to be argued about at the end.
| Line | Qty | Price | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Demolish and haul away old cabinets | 1 | $1,800.00 | $1,800.00 |
| Install 14 ft of owner-supplied cabinets | 1 | $2,600.00 | $2,600.00 |
| Quartz countertop, fabricated and installed | 1 | $3,400.00 | $3,400.00 |
| Excluded: plumbing and electrical (by others) | 1 | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Subtotal | $7,800.00 | ||
| Project total | $7,800.00 |
The excluded plumbing is a $0 line, so it is on the signed paper rather than in somebody’s memory. Tax is switched off here because whether remodeling labor is taxed depends on the state; switch it on and set the rate if yours charges it. The prices are illustrative, not a survey of what a kitchen costs.
Scope of work vs statement of work
Scope of work
Strictly, the description of the work itself: the tasks, the materials, where the job starts and stops, and what is left out. On a big contract it is one section of a longer document.
Statement of work
The whole document the scope sits in: the scope plus the deliverables, the schedule, the price, the assumptions and the signatures. SOW is its usual abbreviation, especially in IT and government contracting.
In the trades the two names are used interchangeably, and “scope of work” is the everyday name for the whole paper. What matters is that the deliverables are specific, the exclusions written down, and both sides signed before the work started.
What a SOW is for
An estimate answers “how much?”. A statement of work answers “for exactly what?” — the question behind most disputes at the end of a job.
It also makes change orders easy. Anything not on the SOW is a change, priced and signed before it is done, and the change order can name the SOW number it amends. This page is not legal advice: whether a SOW is binding on its own, and what a home-improvement contract in your state has to contain, are questions for your state’s rules or a lawyer.
How to send it
Send it by email or text, or as a link the client opens in any browser, and ask for the signed copy back before you order materials or book the crew.
Keep the number. The change orders and the final invoice for this job can all refer to SOW-101, so anyone reading them later can see what was agreed at the start.
What you get
A PDF you can download, print or attach, and a link the client can open on any phone. There is no Word or Excel version — PDF only, for now. The six looks and your logo or initials work on this paper exactly as they do on an invoice; see the looks.
Questions about statements of work
What is a SOW?
SOW stands for statement of work: a document that sets out what will be delivered, by when, at what price and on what assumptions, signed by both sides before the work starts. In construction and the trades it is usually called a scope of work.
Is a statement of work a contract?
It can be part of one. Signed by both sides with a price, it is good evidence of what was agreed, and many contracts attach a SOW as an exhibit. Whether it binds on its own depends on what it says and on your state’s law, and some states require specific terms in home-improvement contracts. This is not legal advice; on a large job, have a lawyer look at the contract.
How detailed should a scope of work be?
Detailed enough that a stranger could walk the finished job and tick each line as done or not done. Name quantities, materials and locations, and say what is excluded. A line like “bathroom remodel” invites an argument; “replace vanity, toilet and floor tile, walls not included” does not.
What is the difference between a SOW and an estimate?
An estimate prices the work; a SOW defines it. On a small job one paper can do both, which is why this one carries prices. On a bigger one, the estimate wins the job and the SOW, signed afterwards, is what the work is measured against.
More on how JobPaperwork works, including what it stores and what it does not do.