E-signatures for construction and trades
The most expensive document in the trades is the one nobody signed: the change order agreed verbally on site, done that afternoon, and disputed at the end of the job.
FairSign works on a phone in a browser. You send the variation, the client signs it standing in the room you are about to alter, and the signed PDF lands in both inboxes before the work starts.
Self-signing is free, local & private, never uploaded. Sending for signature needs a free account (just your email).
What gets signed on a job
- Quotes and estimates: accepted in writing, so the price is fixed before materials are ordered.
- The contract: scope, payment schedule and completion dates.
- Change orders: every variation, priced and signed before it is built. No exceptions.
- Progress payment approvals: signed at each milestone, so invoicing is not a negotiation.
- Completion sign-off: the client confirms the work is done, which starts your warranty clock and ends the argument about snagging.
- Subcontractor agreements: including the IP and defect terms that mirror your head contract.
- Safety and site inductions: signed acknowledgements with a timestamp, which is what an inspector asks for.
What costs contractors money
- Verbal change orders. The most common cause of unpaid construction work, and the easiest to prevent.
- No signed completion. Without it, snagging never ends and the final payment never arrives.
- Quotes accepted by phone. When the client says the price was different, an accepted written quote is the whole case.
- Chasing signatures with paper on a site with no printer, no desk and no dry surface.
Common questions
Can clients sign on site without an app?
Yes. They receive a link, open it in whatever browser is on their phone, and sign with a finger. No app, no account, no printer.
Does it work with poor signal?
Self-signing works offline once the page has loaded. Sending for signature needs a connection to deliver the link, but the client can open it later from anywhere.
Is a signed change order enforceable?
A written, signed variation is far stronger than a verbal one everywhere, and in some jurisdictions residential change orders must be in writing to be enforceable at all. Each completed document carries an audit trail recording who signed and when.
This page is general information for small businesses, not legal advice. For your specific situation, talk to a licensed attorney in your state.