Trades

Invoicing guides for specific trades and kinds of work.

The legal rules for an invoice are the same for every trade, but the detail is not. An electrician has call-outs and parts, a delivery driver bills by the drop or the day, and a plasterer may switch between price work and daywork. Each of those changes how the lines should be described.

These guides cover only what genuinely differs for each kind of work, and link back to the general guides for the rules that do not.

Where to start

Bricklayer invoice template: per 1,000 bricks, day work and extras: Price work per 1,000 bricks, day work and extras, with CIS.
Labourer invoice template: weekly hours, overtime and CIS: Weekly hours, overtime and CIS for site labourers.
Plumber invoice template: call-outs, labour, parts and VAT: Call-outs, labour, parts and VAT for plumbers.
Joiner and carpenter invoice template: first fix, second fix and day work: First fix, second fix and per-item prices.
Painter and decorator invoice template: quotes, deposits, extras and CIS: Match the invoice to the quote, with deposits and extras.
Groundworker invoice template: labour, plant hire, fuel and CIS: Labour, plant hire and fuel on a CIS invoice.
How to invoice as an electrician: Domestic, commercial and landlord work.
How to invoice as a plasterer: day rate or price work: Day rate and price work by the m².
Invoicing as a self-employed delivery driver: Day rates, drops and self-billing.

All guides in Trades

How to invoice as an electricianElectricians invoice in very different situations: a consumer unit change for a homeowner, a week's labour for a main contractor, a call-out for a letting agent. The basics are the same, but CIS, VAT and how you show materials...1010 words Invoicing as a self-employed delivery driverMulti-drop and courier drivers are often paid by the day, by the route, or per parcel, sometimes with van hire or insurance deducted. Here's how to invoice clearly, check what you're paid, and keep records HMRC will accept.1015 words How to invoice as a plasterer: day rate or price workPlasterers are paid in two very different ways: by the day, or by the square metre ("price work"). Each needs a different invoice. Here's how to set out both, how to measure fairly, and what changes when CIS applies.942 words Bricklayer invoice template: per 1,000 bricks, day work and extrasBricklayers are often paid by the number of bricks or blocks laid, not by the hour. That makes the invoice a list of quantities rather than a list of days. Here is a layout you can copy, a worked CIS example, and how to keep...1001 words Labourer invoice template: weekly hours, overtime and CISLabourers are the most likely site workers to be treated wrongly: told to invoice when they should be on payroll, or paid in cash with no record. This page shows when an invoice is right, how to lay out a weekly one, and how...873 words Plumber invoice template: call-outs, labour, parts and VATA plumber's invoice usually has more small lines than other trades: a call-out, an hourly labour charge, and a handful of parts. Here is how to lay them out so a homeowner understands the bill, and what changes when you work...883 words Joiner and carpenter invoice template: first fix, second fix and day workJoinery work is often priced per item: per door hung, per metre of skirting, per window. Mixed with day work and your own fixings, an invoice can get untidy fast. Here is a clean layout, a worked CIS example, and how to...826 words Painter and decorator invoice template: quotes, deposits, extras and CISDecorators mostly work from a quote for homeowners and a day rate for contractors. The invoice has to match whichever applies, show any deposit already paid, and separate paint from labour. Here are both layouts with worked examples.778 words Groundworker invoice template: labour, plant hire, fuel and CISGroundworkers have costs that other trades do not: hired machines, fuel, tipping. They change how much CIS is taken, so the invoice has to separate them from labour. Here is a layout, a worked example and what to keep as proof.865 words

Invoice templates by trade

Each of these guides has a layout you can copy, a worked example with the arithmetic shown, and the CIS and VAT points that matter for that trade: bricklayer, labourer, plumber, joiner and carpenter, painter and decorator, groundworker, electrician, plasterer and delivery driver.

For a generic layout, download the free CIS invoice template. To check the sums, try the free calculators: CIS, overtime, VAT and day rate.

Why trade-specific guides

Most invoices follow the same rules, but each trade has its own details: call-out charges and certificates for electricians, drops and multi-drop days for delivery drivers, price work and daywork in construction. These guides only cover what genuinely differs for each kind of work, with a worked example.

The basics still apply

Whatever your trade, your invoice needs a unique number, your details and the customer's, the dates, a clear description of the work, the amounts and the total. See sole trader invoice requirements. If you work in construction for a contractor, CIS deductions are likely to apply. See the CIS & construction guides.

Business customers vs homeowners

Invoicing a business is different from invoicing a private customer. Late payment interest under the Late Payment Act only applies to business customers, so with homeowners, agree a price, payment terms and any deposit in writing before you start.

Questions

Do I need a different invoice for each trade?

No. The legal requirements are the same. What changes is how you describe and price the work.

Should I put materials on a separate line?

Yes. It's clearer for the customer, and in construction it's needed so CIS is only deducted from labour.

Can I charge a homeowner late payment interest?

Only if your written terms say so. The statutory scheme only covers business-to-business invoices.