Contractor Invoice Template

A free contractor and construction invoice template for general contractors and remodelers. Bill labor, materials, subs, and permits on separate lines, then download a professional PDF.

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What to Include on a Contractor Invoice

A construction invoice carries more than a service call does, because the customer is usually paying in stages and checking each bill against a contract. Put your business name, contractor license number, and contact details at the top. Add the customer's billing address and the job site address when they differ, plus the invoice number, invoice date, and due date.

Break the work into lines the customer can match to the contract: demolition, framing labor, drywall, the plumbing or electrical sub, permits, dumpster hauls, and materials. Write "Framing labor, 2 carpenters x 16 hrs" rather than "labor". If the job is billed in draws, name the draw ("Draw 2 of 4: rough-in complete") and show the contract total, what has been billed to date, and the balance. List approved change orders by number so nobody argues later about where an extra $1,800 came from.

How General Contractors Price a Job

Most residential GCs work one of three ways:

  • Fixed price: one number for the whole scope, billed in progress draws. The customer likes the certainty; you carry the risk on overruns, so change orders matter.
  • Cost plus: actual labor, materials, and subs at cost, plus an overhead and profit line of 10–20% of job cost. Common on custom work where the scope will move.
  • Time and materials: hourly labor plus marked-up materials. Best for small repairs and punch lists.

Typical 2026 US figures to sanity check your lines against:

  • Project management and supervision: $60–$120/hr
  • Carpenter labor: $55–$95/hr. General labor: $35–$60/hr
  • Interior demolition: $2–$7 per sq ft, or $400–$1,500 to gut a bathroom
  • Drywall hang, tape, and finish: $2–$4 per sq ft
  • 20-yard dumpster: $400–$800 per haul
  • Building permits: at cost, commonly $250–$2,500 for a residential remodel
  • Materials: cost plus 10–25%. Subcontracted trades: the sub's price plus 10–20%

Specialty trades have their own ranges. See plumbing, electrical, and HVAC pricing, or the 2026 trade pricing report for ten trades on one page. The markup calculator turns a cost and a target margin into a price.

Tips for Getting Paid on Construction Jobs

  • Take a deposit, within the law. A deposit covers early materials. Some states cap it on home improvement work (California allows 10% or $1,000, whichever is less), so check your state before you write the contract.
  • Bill each draw the day the milestone is done. A draw invoiced a week late is a week of your cash in the customer's account.
  • Get change orders signed before the work. A signed change order turns "I never agreed to that" into a line the customer already approved.
  • Protect your lien rights. Send any preliminary notice your state requires, and exchange lien waivers with each payment on larger jobs.
  • Keep retainage visible. On commercial work where 5–10% is held back, show it on every invoice so the final release is not a surprise.

Pricing a job before you start? The free estimate template uses the same editor, and proposals let the customer sign online.

Frequently Asked Questions

What should a contractor put on an invoice?

Your business name, license number, and contact details; the customer's name and billing address; the job site address if it differs; a unique invoice number, the invoice date, and the due date; each line of work split into labor, materials, subcontractors, and permits; any approved change orders by number; deposits and earlier payments already received; tax where your state applies it; the balance due; and how to pay.

How much should a general contractor mark up materials?

Most general contractors mark up materials 10% to 25% over cost and subcontracted trade work 10% to 20% over the sub's price. On cost-plus jobs the markup is usually replaced by a single overhead and profit line of 10% to 20% of total job cost. Whichever you use, state it in the contract before the job starts.

What is progress billing on a construction invoice?

Progress billing splits a large job into draws tied to milestones, for example 30% at signing, 30% at rough-in, 30% at drywall, and 10% at final walkthrough. Each invoice names the draw, lists what was completed, and shows the contract total, what has been billed so far, and what remains. Some states cap the up-front deposit on home improvement work, so check your state's contractor rules.

Is this contractor invoice template free?

Yes. Fill in the editor, describe the job to the AI helper if you want line items drafted for you, and download a PDF with no signup and no watermark. If you later want signed proposals, change orders, or automatic payment reminders, those live in an InvoiceCraft account.

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