General contracting invoice template

Download the General contracting invoice template

The same sample document in two formats. The PDF is what a finished invoice looks like; the spreadsheet has live formulas, so change a quantity or a rate and the totals follow.

No signup, no email, no watermark. Sample figures — edit everything. Opens in Excel, Numbers and Google Sheets.

See this invoice filled in, in the builder — the same sample, editable.

What a General contracting invoice needs on it

A remodel estimate is a small contract. It carries allowances for things the client has not chosen yet, a draw schedule so you are not financing their kitchen, and a change-order clause because the scope will move. Contractors who lose money on remodels usually did not lose it on labor rates — they lost it absorbing changes that were agreed verbally and never priced.

On a remodel, invoice against the draw schedule and show the running position: contract total, previously billed, this draw, remaining. Clients approve progress payments much faster when the invoice reconciles itself, and it is also the record that settles a dispute about what was already paid.

• Allowances for unselected finishes, each with a stated amount and what happens over or under
• A draw schedule tied to milestones, not dates, so payment tracks progress
• A change-order clause: how extra work gets priced and that it is approved in writing first
• Exclusions in a named list — permits, engineering, hazardous materials, landscaping repair
• Subcontracted trades identified, so the client knows who is coming and what is coordinated
• Your license number and general liability carrier

And what every invoice needs

Send it the day the work is finished. Invoices sent within 24 hours get paid materially faster than ones that go out at the end of the month.

• A due date, not just terms — "Net 14" means less to a homeowner than a date
• Any deposit already paid, credited on the page so the balance is unarguable
• Payment instructions the customer can act on without calling you
• The estimate number it came from, so the customer can reconcile the two

General contracting line items included in this template

These load into the builder ready to edit. Prices are starting points, not our opinion of what you should charge — set your own and they save to your price book.

Rates are illustrative US figures and vary widely by market. Price your own work.

How general contractors price this work

Remodels are priced either as cost-plus with a stated fee, or fixed-price with allowances. Fixed-price wins more residential work because clients want certainty, but it only works if the allowances are honest and the exclusions are complete. Overhead and profit are usually carried as a percentage of direct cost — stating it as its own line reads as more transparent than burying it in every unit rate.

Questions

How should allowances work on a remodel estimate?

Each allowance names a dollar amount for a category the client has not chosen yet — tile, fixtures, appliances. State that overages are billed at cost and underages credited. Vague allowances are the most common cause of remodel disputes, because the client remembers a number and you remember a category.

What should a draw schedule look like?

Tie draws to milestones a client can see: deposit at contract, a draw at demo complete, at rough-in inspection, at drywall, and final at substantial completion with a retainage. Milestone-based draws are easier to defend than calendar dates, because the client is paying for visible progress.

How do I handle change orders so they actually get paid?

Price them in writing and get approval before the work happens — that is the whole trick. Put the clause on the original estimate so it is not a surprise, then issue each change as its own numbered document with its own price and schedule impact. Verbal changes are how contractors finish a job profitable on paper and short in the bank.

What has to be on an invoice?

At minimum: your business name and contact details, the customer, an invoice number, the date, an itemised description of what was done, the amount due, and how to pay. Trades that carry a license usually put the license number on it too, and in some jurisdictions that is required.

How soon should I invoice after finishing a job?

Same day where you can. The gap between finishing and invoicing is the single easiest lever on how fast you get paid, and it costs nothing to close.

Can I charge a late fee?

Usually, if you stated it before the work — commonly 1 to 1.5% per month. It has to be on the estimate or your terms, not introduced for the first time on an overdue invoice, and some states cap the rate. Check your own state before relying on it.