Homeowners and general contractors both want to see where the money went. A contractor invoice that separates labor from materials, shows the deposit already paid and ends with a clear balance due gets paid with fewer questions.
These contractor invoice templates are set up for renovation, roofing and trade work: labor lines with hours, materials with quantities and unit prices, a tax line, and an amount-paid line for deposits. Click a card to load it into the editor on this page, fill in your job and download a PDF.
One for labor + materials, one for a job with a deposit already paid. Click either to load it into the editor below; your saved draft isn't changed until you start editing.
Tip: copy rows from Excel or Google Sheets and paste them into any line.
Rename any label printed on the invoice. You can also click a label on the preview.
Construction and trade invoices carry more detail than most. These are the parts that prevent disputes.
Labor by the hour, materials by quantity, a disposal fee, and the deposit taken off the balance.
| Description | Qty | Rate | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Labor: demolition and rough-in (hours) | 32 | $70.00 | $2,240.00 |
| Materials: floor tile (sq ft) | 60 | $6.50 | $390.00 |
| Materials: vanity and fixtures | 1 | $845.00 | $845.00 |
| Dumpster rental and disposal | 1 | $325.00 | $325.00 |
| Subtotal | $3,800.00 | ||
| Deposit received | −$1,000.00 | ||
| Balance due | $2,800.00 | ||
Sales tax on labor and materials depends on your state or country. Turn on the tax line if it applies to the job.
Almost every renovation changes once the walls are open: rotten subfloor, wiring that isn't to code, a client who picks a different tile. Each change should be written up as a change order before the work is done, describing the added or removed work, the price difference and any effect on the schedule, and approved in writing by the client. Verbal “while you're here” requests are the ones most likely to be disputed later. Photos of the hidden problem help too.
On the invoice, keep the original contract amount intact and add each approved change order as its own line, numbered to match, such as “Change order 3: replace subfloor, 40 sq ft”. A credit for work removed can go on the discount line with a clear label, such as “Change order 4 credit”. The client can then trace the total back to the contract plus the change orders they signed, which is also what a lender or inspector will want to see. A short summary in the notes, such as “Includes change orders 1–4”, helps anyone reading the invoice months later.
Start with a written estimate that uses the same lines you will later invoice: labor, materials, permits, disposal. In Invoiceize you can write it in the quotation generator and convert the accepted quote to an invoice with one click, so nothing has to be retyped. For short jobs, one invoice at completion may be enough; for longer jobs, agree on progress payments tied to stages the client can see. Each progress invoice should say which stage it covers and how much of the contract has been billed so far. Clients pay progress invoices faster when the stage is obviously finished when the invoice arrives.
On commercial and larger residential projects, the client may hold back a percentage of each progress payment, called retainage, until the job is finished and punch-list items are closed. Figures of 5–10% are common, but the amount allowed and when it must be released depend on the contract and, in some places, on law. Show the retainage withheld on each progress invoice so both sides can track it, then bill the accumulated retainage on a final invoice. The construction invoice template has a progress bill with retainage already set up. Keep retainage invoices and lien paperwork together, because the final payment usually depends on both.
Many contractors take a deposit before ordering materials, then bill progress payments at agreed stages and the balance on completion. Put the schedule in your estimate or contract, and reference it on each invoice.
Some states and countries limit how large a deposit a home improvement contractor may take. If you are not sure, check with your licensing board before you set your terms.
Due on receipt or Net 15 is common for residential work. Accept the payment methods your clients actually use, such as check, card or bank transfer, and list them in the payment details.
Labor, materials, deposits and progress payments.
Yes, in most cases. Separate lines show the client what they paid for, make it easy to check materials against receipts, and help when tax rules treat the two differently.
List the full job as usual and enter the deposit in the Amount paid field. The invoice shows the deposit received and the remaining balance due.
Send a progress invoice at each agreed stage. Describe the stage, for example “Progress payment 2 of 3: rough-in complete”, and keep invoice numbers in sequence.
Yes. Add a custom field under your business details, such as “License #” with your number. It prints on the invoice and the PDF.
Add it as a separate line after the original contract work, numbered to match the signed change order, for example “Change order 2: upgraded fixtures”. The original contract amount stays as quoted.
Yes. Fill it in online and download the PDF for free, with no watermark and no account.
Different work, different invoice. Each of these opens in the same free generator.
