Contractor invoice template
Contractor invoice template
On a trade job the argument is rarely about the total. It's about which part of the total was labour and which part was materials — and about the bit of work the customer doesn't remember asking for.
Keep those apart, line by line, put the quote number at the top, and the invoice gets signed off on site instead of coming back with questions.
No signup · Free PDF download.
What belongs on a contractor invoice
- Your trading name, address and, if you have one, your tax or registration number.
- The customer and the site address, if they are different — put the site in the notes.
- A job or quote reference in the PO reference field, so it prints under the dates.
- Labour lines: the task, the hours or days, and the rate per hour or day.
- Material lines: what was supplied, the quantity, and the price per unit.
- Any deposit already paid, taken off as a discount with a note saying when it was paid.
- Payment terms as a real due date, and how you want to be paid.
Keeping labour and materials apart
Give labour its own lines and materials their own lines, and say so in the description: “Labour — second fix, 14 hours” and “Materials — 15mm copper pipe, 24 m”. The quantity column carries hours for labour and the count or length for materials, so the customer can check either half without a calculator.
If you mark materials up, put the marked-up price in the rate rather than adding a separate “markup” line; a line the customer does not understand is a line they will ring you about. If a job was quoted as a fixed price, invoice the fixed price as one line and list materials underneath at zero only when the quote promised an itemised breakdown — otherwise leave them out and keep the receipts.
Tax rates sometimes differ between labour and materials. Invoira sets the rate per line, so you can leave one line at 0% and set another at your standard rate; the totals group each rate on its own row.
Call-outs, stages, variations and retentions
Call-outs. If you charge a call-out or minimum fee, give it its own line rather than padding the first hour. “Call-out and diagnosis, evening rate” explains itself; an hour that costs more than the next one doesn't.
Stages. Invoice each stage as its own document — “Stage 2 of 3: first fix complete” — with the stage named in the first line. Never mix two stages of the same job on one invoice.
Variations. Extra work asked for after the quote goes on its own line, worded as the request: “Variation 3 — move consumer unit, agreed 4 Sep”.
Retention. If the customer holds back a percentage until sign-off, don't hide it inside the rate. Invoice the full amount, record the retention in the notes, and invoice the balance when it's released. Invoira has no retention field and won't calculate one for you.
Using the generator
Open the template, add your details and the customer's, and put the quote or job number in the PO reference field. Add a labour line per task and a materials line per item. Turn tax on only if you charge it, and set a line's own rate where it differs. Put the site address, the agreed variations and your terms in the notes. Download the PDF and send it from your phone or your own email.
Only the fields shown here exist in Invoira: there is no separate materials table, no retention field and no timesheet import. What you get is a clean, correct document with real text in it.
A worked example
- From
- Redgate Plumbing & Heating
- To
- M. Caldwell, 14 Hillcrest Road
- Number
- INV-0207
- Job reference
- Q-1184, bathroom refit
- Issued
- 10 Sep 2026
- Due
- 17 Sep 2026 (Net 7)
| Description | Qty | Rate | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Labour — first and second fix, 3 days | 3 | £290.00 | £870.00 |
| Labour — variation 1, reroute waste (agreed 4 Sep) | 4 | £45.00 | £180.00 |
| Materials — thermostatic shower valve | 1 | £228.00 | £228.00 |
| Materials — 15mm copper pipe and fittings | 24 | £6.40 | £153.60 |
- Subtotal
- £1,431.60
- Deposit received 28 Aug
- −£300.00
- VAT (20%)
- £226.32
- Total
- £1,357.92
Fictional example. The job reference prints under the dates; the deposit is entered as a fixed discount, so the subtotal still shows the whole job.
Questions
Should materials be shown at cost?
That is between you and the customer, and it usually follows the quote. If you agreed cost plus a margin, show the price you are charging in the rate column and keep the receipts for your own records.
Where do I put the site address?
In the notes, on its own line, when it differs from the billing address. Invoira has one address per party, so the notes are the honest place for the second one.
Can I charge different tax rates on labour and materials?
Yes. Each line has its own rate, and the totals show one row per rate. What rate applies to your work is a question for your accountant; Invoira only formats what you enter.
How do I invoice a deposit that was already paid?
Enter the full amount as normal and add a fixed discount for the deposit, with the date it was paid in the label. The discount is applied before tax and shared across the lines.
Can I send this from my phone on site?
Yes. The editor and the PDF download both work in a phone browser, and there is nothing to install or sign up for.
Related
Your turn
Turn this example into your invoice.
The line items are already there. Change the client, work, rates and dates, then download the PDF.
Updated 2026-09-17. Invoira formats what you enter; it does not give tax or legal advice.