Site preparation
Per stage
Clearing, excavation, temporary services and set-up before construction starts.
Stages · Labour · Materials
Builder Invoice Generator
Create Professional Builder Invoices
Building work is billed in stages against a contract, often while the client is drawing down finance. The invoice has to be legible to the client, their lender and sometimes a valuer.
This generator starts with construction line items — site labour, materials and clean-up — so you can build a stage claim quickly and download a PDF that matches the contract wording.
Loaded with builder line items you can edit, rename or remove.
What is a builder invoice?
A builder's invoice is a claim against a construction contract rather than a bill for a single visit. It typically covers a completed stage of work and combines crew labour, materials, subcontractor costs and site expenses for the period.
The document usually travels further than a normal invoice. Clients forward it to lenders, accountants or valuers, which makes the stage description, the contract reference and the running balance the most important parts of the page.
How to invoice as a builder
- Step 1
Confirm the stage is complete
Invoice after the stage genuinely meets the contract description. Early claims invite inspections you did not plan for.
- Step 2
State the contract and stage
Name the contract reference and the stage claimed so the client, and their lender, can match it to the schedule.
- Step 3
Break out labour and subcontractors
Crew hours, and any subcontracted trades, shown separately from materials.
- Step 4
List significant materials
Concrete, steel, framing timber and joinery each deserve their own line; small consumables can be grouped.
- Step 5
Add variations and deduct prior payments
Approved variations as numbered lines, then deposits, previous claims and retention as deductions.
- Step 6
Send with supporting paperwork
Attach dockets or progress photos where the contract requires them, and state the payment term.
What to include on a builder invoice
- Your building company name and licence or registration number
- Client name, site address and the contract reference
- Invoice number, issue date and the stage being claimed
- Site labour hours and rates, plus subcontractor costs
- Major materials itemised, smaller consumables grouped
- Plant, scaffolding and skip hire for the period
- Approved variations, numbered and dated
- Deposits, previous claims, retention and the balance due
Common charges for builders
Labour
Per hour or stage
Crew time, either as hours or as part of the fixed value of a contract stage.
Materials
At cost or with margin
Timber, fixings, membrane, cladding and joinery supplied for the work claimed.
Concrete and major supply
Per pour or delivery
Large one-off supplies that the client expects to see priced individually.
Project stage payment
Percentage of contract
A defined portion of the contract value released when a stage is signed off.
Plant and site costs
Per hire period
Machinery, scaffolding, skips, fencing and site clean-up.
Example builder invoice
A framing stage claim with crew labour, materials and site costs, less the deposit already held.
| Description | Qty | Rate | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stage 3 — framing crew labour (hrs) | 32 | 65.00 | 2,080.00 |
| Materials — framing timber, fixings, membrane | 1 | 2,180.00 | 2,180.00 |
| Concrete delivery — 2 m³ | 2 | 310.00 | 620.00 |
| Skip hire and site clean-up | 1 | 340.00 | 340.00 |
| Subtotal | 5,220.00 | ||
| Deposit applied to this stage | -1,500.00 | ||
| Retention held (5%) | -261.00 | ||
| Total due — Net 7 | 3,459.00 | ||
Tips for getting invoices paid
Invoice the day a stage completes
Construction cash flow is unforgiving. A claim held for a week is a week of materials funded by you.
Keep stage wording identical to the contract
If the invoice says something different from the schedule, the client has to ask before paying.
Number variations consistently
Variation 1, 2, 3 across the whole job makes the final account straightforward to agree.
Track retention deliberately
Retention is easy to forget once the job ends. Note the release date when you deduct it.
Common invoice mistakes for builders
Claiming ahead of the work
Invoicing a stage that is not finished damages trust for the rest of the build.
One materials figure for a whole stage
Large undifferentiated supply lines are the ones lenders and valuers question.
Forgetting subcontractor costs
Trades you paid and did not claim for come straight out of your margin.
No running balance
Without prior claims shown, the client cannot see how much of the contract remains.
Frequently asked questions
How do stage payments work on a building job?
The contract splits the work into stages — for example site preparation, foundations, framing, lock-up and completion — and each stage is invoiced when it is finished. State the stage and the portion of the contract value it represents.
Should materials be listed individually?
Group them sensibly. Timber, fixings and membrane can sit on one supply line for a stage, but keep large items such as concrete, steel or windows on their own lines so the client can follow the spend.
How do I invoice for a variation on a build?
As a separate numbered line referencing the written approval. On builds, variations accumulate, so keeping the numbering consistent across invoices makes the final reconciliation far easier.
What is retention and how do I show it?
Some contracts hold back a percentage until defects are made good. If yours does, deduct the retained amount on the invoice and note when it falls due, so the payment is not treated as short.
Can I invoice for weather or standby days?
Only if the contract provides for it. Where it does, name the days and the reason in the description, because unexplained standby charges are the fastest route to a disputed claim.
How much detail does the client's bank need?
Clients drawing down a construction loan often have to pass invoices to a lender or valuer. Clear stages, dates and a contract reference are what those parties look for.
Related tools and reading
Create your builder invoice
Edit the line items, add your details and download a clean PDF. Free, no account and no watermark.