How to make an invoice for construction.
A professional-looking invoice for construction work will enhance your image and help you get paid promptly.
Like many businesses, construction work relies on reputation and cash flow to stay profitable. Learn how to make a construction invoice that will help with both. Use the following steps to discover how to write an invoice for your construction company to help you get paid on time.
Invoice for construction work using progress billing.
In construction, the best way to manage your invoicing and cash flow is to use progress billing. Once a specified amount of the construction work is completed, send the customer an invoice for their work. You can select many types of invoices for your business. Just be sure that no matter which format you choose, your contract allows for progress billing. Also, show the details on your invoice for construction completed.
A detailed progress billing invoice will show the total contract amount, any amounts that have already been paid, the current amount due, and a description of the work completed in the billing cycle and covered by that invoice.
How to make a construction invoice step by step.
When you’re ready to send your first construction invoice, follow these steps.
1. Choose how you’ll invoice for construction work.
The first step is to decide how to invoice your customers. You can subscribe to many invoicing platforms to create and manage invoices. You can also create your invoice template in an application like Microsoft Word and convert it into a PDF before sending it.
2. Include relevant construction project information.
Include all the details of your project and fees in your construction invoice. Here are a few elements to consider:
- Your business details. Include contact information for your business, such as your email, phone number, and mailing address.
- Customer details. List the name of your customer contact and contact details.
- Invoice number. Track and uniquely identify each invoice.
- Material costs. State how much your crew spent on materials for this project segment.
- Labor costs. Identify how much the customer owes you for your labor.
- Payment information. Share when and how you will accept payment.
3. Include your construction company’s branding.
Your branding sets you apart from the crowd. Your logo, text font, and colors should be consistent across all your print and digital forms, emails, letters, sales materials, and invoices. Seeing a familiar brand instills confidence. No one wants to wonder if the invoice they’re looking at actually came from your company.
Best practices for creating a PDF invoice for construction.
Customers expect contracts and invoices to be secure and emailable. To ensure they’ll want to do business with you again, giving them an easy experience is essential. Here are some simple things you can do to enhance the customer experience:
- Attach the invoice to an email. If you aren’t using an invoicing platform, attach the construction invoice as a PDF and email it to the customer. This document makes it easy to access and communicate if there are any questions.
- Make it easy to pay. Offer as many options for quick payment as possible. Digital payment via credit card or a payment platform like PayPal or Venmo are excellent options. You can also list out your banking information for wire transfers.
- Create a template for future invoices. Save your invoice as a template for future invoices. That way, you don’t have to start from scratch each time, and your invoices look professional and consistent.
Remember, an invoice isn’t the end of the relationship with your customer — it’s the beginning of the next construction job your customer will need. Explore what more you can do with Adobe Acrobat for business to get contracts signed, invoices for construction acknowledged, and work done fast.