# Free construction invoice template General contractors bill for a project, not a day. The invoice usually shows progress against a contract: how much of the job is complete, what has been paid, what is held back as retainage and what is due now. The template below does that for a kitchen remodel at the 50 percent point. Adapt it to your own contract and save the PDF from this page. No account, and nothing is uploaded. For single-trade jobs there are more focused pages, such as the [carpentry](https://jiffy-invoice.com/invoice-template/carpentry) and [roofing](https://jiffy-invoice.com/invoice-template/roofing) templates, and our [invoice app for contractors](https://jiffy-invoice.com/invoice-app-for/contractors). ## Fill it in and save as PDF The lines are examples for general contractors. Change anything, add your details and download the PDF. Nothing you type leaves this browser. - Cornerstone Builders LLC - Elena and Mark Rossi - Kitchen remodel, contract total $38,000, progress draw 2 of 4 | Description | Qty | Price | Amount | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Demolition and site protection (complete) | 1 | $2,800.00 | $2,800.00 | | Framing, plumbing and electrical rough-in (complete) | 1 | $9,600.00 | $9,600.00 | | Cabinets and countertops delivered (50% of contract line) | 1 | $6,500.00 | $6,500.00 | | Subcontractor: tile backsplash and flooring | 1 | $2,400.00 | $2,400.00 | | Change order 01: add under-cabinet lighting | 1 | $680.00 | $680.00 | | Less: payments received to date | 1 | -$12,000.00 | -$12,000.00 | | Less: retainage held (5%) | 1 | -$1,050.00 | -$1,050.00 | Change order 01 was approved in writing on March 9. Progress billing follows the schedule of values in the signed contract. Payment due within 10 days of draw request. ## What to put on an invoice for general contractors - Your contractor license number, the contract date and the project address - The contract total, with progress billed this period against it - A schedule of values: each phase with its share of the contract and the percent complete - Approved change orders as separate lines, with their date and number - Subcontractor costs, either on their own lines or inside the phases - Payments received to date, and retainage held back where the contract requires it - The amount due now, the due date and lien waiver or payment instructions if you use them ## How general contractors bill Most residential projects are fixed-price contracts, paid in draws: a deposit at signing, payments when each phase is done (demolition, rough-in, drywall, finish) and a final payment on completion. Commercial and larger jobs use progress billing against a schedule of values, with retainage, typically 5 to 10 percent, held until the project is done. Cost-plus contracts bill actual costs plus a fee, with receipts attached. Every change to the scope should be a written change order, and each one appears on the invoice with its own line. That protects the contractor from unpaid extras and the client from surprises. Start the project with a signed [estimate](https://jiffy-invoice.com/estimate-app) so the invoice and the contract tell one story. ## Tips to get paid faster 1. Bill the draw the moment the phase is complete, with a few photos. A client who can see the work pays faster. 2. Never do extra work without a written change order. Put it on the invoice with its approval date. 3. Show payments to date and retainage as visible lines, so the amount due is easy to verify. 4. Keep each subcontractor's invoice and lien waiver handy for clients and lenders who ask. 5. Put a card or transfer link on the invoice, see [online payments](https://jiffy-invoice.com/features/online-payments), and send a [reminder](https://jiffy-invoice.com/features/payment-reminders) when a draw passes its due date. ## Common invoice mistakes - Bundling change orders into the contract lines, which makes the original price look wrong - Letting the draw schedule slip so the work is ahead of the payments - Not showing retainage, so the client does not know when the held amount will be released ## Questions ### What is progress billing? Progress billing sends an invoice at each stage of a project for the work completed so far, rather than one bill at the end. ### What is retainage? A percentage of each payment, often 5 to 10 percent, held back until the project is complete. Show it as a line on the invoice. ### How do I invoice change orders? Agree each change in writing, then add it as its own line with its number and approval date. ### Is this construction invoice template free? Yes. Fill it in online and save the PDF. No account is needed. ## Templates for other trades - [carpenters](https://jiffy-invoice.com/invoice-template/carpentry) - [roofers](https://jiffy-invoice.com/invoice-template/roofing) - [painters](https://jiffy-invoice.com/invoice-template/painting) - [flooring installers](https://jiffy-invoice.com/invoice-template/flooring) [Invoice templates by trade](https://jiffy-invoice.com/invoice-template) Source: https://jiffy-invoice.com/invoice-template/construction