Contractor invoice template for construction work
Updated · Reviewed by Israel Margulies, founder and CEO of High Point GPS
An invoice for contractors and construction companies: your details, the client and project, an invoice number and dates, a line for each item of work with quantity, unit, rate and amount, the subtotal, any retainage held back, tax and the amount due, with payment terms.
Construction invoices get paid faster when the client can match every line to the contract or the approved change orders. Bill by the same items or phases as your quote, show labor, materials and equipment separately, and put the project name and any purchase order or contract number at the top.
On larger jobs the client often holds back retainage, a share of each payment kept until the work is finished. Show it on the invoice so both sides agree on what is owed now and what is released later. Lien and payment rules differ by state, so check yours.
Contractor invoice
Fields: Contractor name and address · License no. · Invoice no. · Invoice date · Client name and address · Project name and address · Contract or PO no. · Billing period · Due date
Log columns: Description of work · Qty · Unit · Rate · Amount
- Totals. Subtotal, approved change orders, less retainage (__%), sales tax where it applies, previous payments, amount due this invoice.
- Payment terms. Due within the days in the contract (for example net 30), the payment methods you accept, and any late fee the contract allows.
Fill it in the right way
- Fill in your company, license number and the client's details.
- Add the project name and address and the contract or purchase order number.
- List each item of work for the billing period: labor, materials, equipment and approved change orders, with quantity, unit, rate and amount.
- Subtract retainage if the contract has it, add tax where it applies, and subtract previous payments.
- Set the due date from the contract's payment terms and send it with any backup the client asks for.
Tips
- Bill on the schedule the contract sets (for example monthly), and send the invoice the same day each period.
- Attach signed change orders for any extra work; unapproved extras are the most disputed lines.
- Bill equipment by the hour or day from real hours, so the charge holds up if questioned.
- Keep invoice numbers in order and never reuse one.
Do it in FleetZap
- FleetZap keeps each machine's hours, so equipment time on a job comes from the meter, not from guesses.
- Parts, labor and outside repair costs from every work order roll up to each machine, which shows its real cost per hour.
- Finished work orders can be invoiced through QuickBooks Online.
- Crews scan a machine's QR label to report a problem or do a pre-use check on their phone.
FleetZap Maintenance
Work orders, PM, parts, compliance, assets and KPIs. Explore FleetZap Maintenance.
Frequently asked questions
What should a contractor invoice include?
Your business name, address and license number, the client and project, an invoice number and date, each line of work with quantity, unit, rate and amount, retainage, tax, previous payments, the amount due and payment terms.
What is retainage on an invoice?
A share of each payment, set in the contract, that the client holds back until the work is finished. Show it as a line so both sides agree on what's held.
How is this different from a repair invoice?
A repair invoice bills one repair on one vehicle or machine. A contractor invoice bills a project, often in stages, with retainage and change orders.
Do I charge sales tax on construction work?
It depends on the state and the type of work. Check your state's rules.