Free Template

Contractor Invoice Template

This contractor invoice template separates labour, materials and change orders so a client can see exactly what they are paying for. Add your line items and download a PDF in about 60 seconds — no signup.

Common services billed with this template

Typical use cases for the contractor invoice template:

  • General contracting and construction
  • Plumbing, electrical and HVAC
  • Carpentry, drywall and framing
  • Roofing, siding and concrete
  • Painting, tiling and finishing work

Typical line items

Fields you'll usually include on this invoice:

  • Labour hours and rate, per trade or per phase
  • Materials, listed separately from labour
  • Equipment and plant hire
  • Change orders, each referencing the date it was approved
  • Any deposit or progress payment already received, deducted from the total
  • Balance due and payment terms

Invoicing Tips

  • Reference the change order date on every variation line. Change orders are where contractor invoices get disputed, and a date the client approved is hard to argue with
  • Deduct deposits and progress payments on the invoice itself — do not leave the client to remember them
  • Invoice by phase on longer jobs rather than waiting for completion. It is the cheapest cash-flow fix available to a contractor
  • Keep your license number on the invoice if your state requires it on billing documents

Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Rolling change orders into the main labour line, so the client sees only a total that grew
  • Billing the full contract value and separately noting the deposit somewhere else
  • Waiting until the job is finished to invoice a multi-month project
  • Describing work as per contract with no line detail — the fastest route to a slow payment

Frequently Asked Questions

What should be on a contractor invoice?

Your business details and license number where required, the client and job address, an invoice number and date, labour and materials as separate lines, any approved change orders with their dates, deposits already paid deducted, and the balance due with payment terms.

How do I invoice for a change order?

Put it on its own line, describe the change in plain words, and reference the date the client approved it. Never fold it into an existing labour line — a change the client cannot identify is a change they will question.

Should contractors invoice progressively?

On any job longer than a few weeks, yes. Progress invoicing at agreed milestones keeps materials funded and means one slow payer cannot hold your entire project value hostage.

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