How to Do an Invoice for Roofing (with Free Invoice Template)

roofer nailing shingles to a roof

Every roofer knows that invoices are the key to getting paid for all their hard work. But not every roofer knows how to do an invoice for roofing.

Creating a roofing invoice can be tricky. There’re many important details that need to be included and any errors or omissions can cause problems later.

We’ll show you how to create a roofing invoice as well as tips to make your invoices more accurate, professional, and more likely to get paid quickly!

What Should a Roofing Invoice Include?

Creating an invoice can be challenging if you don’t know what should go in it. A roofing invoice should include all the information about the job, including any materials or services provided.

Your roofing invoice should include details like:

You want to make sure that your invoices are thorough and accurate so that you can be paid quickly and easily. Some common mistakes roofers may make when creating roofing invoices are:

Fortunately, these problems can be avoided by taking extra care when creating invoices and ensuring that all relevant details have been included before sending them off.

Free Roofing Invoice Template

Time is money, especially when it comes to running a business! Using a free roofing invoice template saves both time and money by eliminating the need for manual data entry and the costly typos and miscalculations that can come with it.

Instead of having to create an invoice from scratch each time, you just fill in the necessary information. Free roofing invoice templates help cut down on paperwork while ensuring accuracy and consistency throughout all your invoices.

screenshot of roofing invoice template

Roofing invoice templates also help streamline your record keeping. Information like invoice numbers and payment amounts are organized in one place, making it easy to find what you need.

Plus, using a template means that all your invoices will look consistent and professional, no matter who creates them.

Need a more sophisticated Roofing Invoice?

Joist allows you to create and send invoices in minutes with the easy-to-use mobile invoicing & estimating tool. You can create estimates, convert them to customizable invoices, and offer your customers flexible payment methods. Joist’s professional Roofing invoices help you to simplify your finances and spend more time focusing on your clients.

roofing contractor using <a href=a nail gun" width="512" height="339" />

General Invoicing Tips for Roof Contractors

A well-crafted roofing invoice is essential for any roofing business looking to maximize their customer satisfaction rate while minimizing potential disputes down the line.

Invoicing can seem like a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be! These helpful tips will show you send out accurate roofing invoices quickly and efficiently.

Use an Invoice Management System

Using a contractor invoicing and estimating management system makes the challenge of invoicing a whole lot easier by offering professional-looking roofing invoices that you can customize and send with just a few clicks.

Many invoice management systems offer features, such as:

It also allows you to record payments, view monthly sales reports, and easily keep track of outstanding invoices. Invoice management systems can keep all the details organized, from invoices and taxes to clients and payment information.

Build Better Estimates

The first step to creating an accurate invoice is to ensure that your estimates are as precise as possible. Estimating jobs correctly reduces the risk of errors on your invoices and helps to boost customer confidence in your services. After all, no one wants to receive a surprise bill after their roof has been completed!

When estimating jobs, make sure you understand every cost associated with each roofing job before providing an estimate—that includes materials, labor, overhead (insurance, supplies, etc.), and taxes. That way you won’t be surprised by any hidden costs or misunderstandings later down the line.

Don’t forget to include additional services such as clean up or hauling away debris. These services can be forgotten about until after the job has been completed. That can lead to extra charges that weren’t considered initially when making the estimate.

Include Photos

Photos will come in handy if any customer disputes arise in the future. Not only do they provide proof of work completed, but they can also serve as evidence if discrepancies occur between what was agreed upon and what was actually done during the job.

Including photos on your invoices is also useful because it helps customers visualize what was done and confirm that everything looks good before signing off on payment. It’s always better to have too much information than not enough.

Get Specific

When you create an invoice, it should be easy for the customer to understand exactly what they’re paying for. Be as specific as possible when listing items on your roofing invoice.

For instance, instead of just saying “labor costs,” list exactly which tasks were done by whom and how long it took them to complete them.

It’s also a good idea to include notes explaining why certain costs were incurred or why certain materials were chosen. Doing so will not only save time later, but it will also make for happier customers who understand exactly what they are being charged for and why.

roofers working on a new roof

Double Check Your Math

It goes without saying that the most important part of any roofing invoice is accuracy. Before sending out an invoice, always double check the information before sending it out.

Make sure all figures are accurate to avoid any awkward conversations down the road about discrepancies between the estimate and actual payment amounts due.

Make it Easy for Clients to Pay You

Using an online payment processing system for contractors allows you to securely accept payments by credit card, debit card, or online payment systems like PayPal. Customers can easily pay online from a phone or laptop straight from your invoices. And you avoid any missed payments due to lost or delayed mail/checks.

When sending out an invoice, be sure to include a link directly to your payment system as part of the email. Also include a link directly on each roofing invoice that is sent out. This makes it incredibly easy for clients who may have misplaced their original email but still need access to their invoice or estimate.

By offering multiple payment options and providing clear instructions on how to pay your invoices, you help ensure that your clients can pay quickly and easily.

How to Improve Payment Rates

Even if you make it super accessible for your clients to pay you, businesses still often have to chase their clients for payment. In fact, surveys show that 54% of businesses struggle with late invoices. Here are a few ways to try to encourage prompt payment:

Request a deposit

When requesting a deposit before starting work, you’re asking for a commitment from your client. This helps to ensure that both you and your client are on the same page, and that the client is serious about working with you. It also protects you in case the client decides to cancel the project after starting work.

Requesting a deposit before starting work is a common practice in the roofing industry for more advanced work and is one of the best ways to secure payment upfront.

Struggling to manage customer payments?

With financing & built-in invoice payment options, Joist could be just what you need.

Include custom payment terms and invoice due dates

When creating invoices, be sure to include your custom payment terms and scheduled due dates. This ensures that both you and your client are aware of the deadlines for payment. Including this information on your invoices helps to reduce confusion and reduce any misunderstandings about when payments are due.

Scheduled due dates also give your clients a sense of urgency, which can help to motivate them to pay on time.

Set up customer financing

One way to make it easier for your clients to pay you is to set up payment financing for them. This means that they can pay you in installments as the job progresses. This can help to reduce the burden of a client needing to make a single large payment all at once.

Estimating, invoicing, and customer payments all in one software. Joist can help you revitalize your bidding & billing process.