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

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:  

• Your business name and logo 
• Your contact information, including address, phone number, and email address 
• The client’s name and information, including address, phone number, and email address 
• A unique invoice number 

• Date of the invoice 
• Date the work was completed 
• Line items with detailed descriptions of the services provided, materials used, and labor costs  
• The original estimate amount 
• The final total cost, including taxes and fees 

• Any discounts or special offers you have given the customer 
• Payment due date 
• Payment terms and payment instructions 

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:   

• Forgetting to include specific services or materials on their invoices. Avoid costly mistakes by ensuring you’ve accounted for all labor and materials in your roofing invoice.  
   
• Not providing enough detail in their roofing invoices. This can lead to confusion over what is being charged and why. Be sure to include details about the services you provided, e.g., “installed new shingles”, as well as the materials used and time involved.  
   
• Not including payment terms and due dates. Without clearly defined payment terms, customers may not know exactly when their payment is due or what forms of payment are accepted. And that can mean a delay in payment.    
     
• Incorrectly calculating costs. Inaccurate prices being charged means either you or the client is losing money. It’s important to double-check your invoice before sending it off to make sure all necessary information is correct and has been included. 

• Failing to include all relevant details. If important information like taxes or discounts isn’t listed on an invoice, it can lead to miscommunication and misunderstandings with the customer.     
        

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. 

5 tips for creating professional invoices
Make sure you include your contact information, as well as the customer's contact information.
Make sure the invoice is easy to read, with clear headings and sections.
Make sure you list what services were provided, as well as the corresponding prices.
 
Make sure you include any applicable taxes or discounts.
Make sure the invoice is dated and includes a payment terms section.

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.  

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. 

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.  

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:  

• automated payment reminders 
• one-click invoices with integrated links for instant payments  
• mobile apps so customers can pay anytime, anywhere 

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. 

3 tips for storing customer contacts
Make sure you include all the necessary contact information, including name, email address, and phone number.
Make sure you store customer contacts in a secure location.
Make sure you keep track of which customers have already been invoiced and which of them have paid.

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.  

KEEP READING: How to Price a Roofing Job

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. 

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.  

3 tips for getting customer payments in real-time
Make sure you include a link to an online payment portal on your invoices.
Make sure you include clear instructions on how to make a payment. 
Make sure you follow up with customers who have not made a payment within a reasonable timeframe.

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.

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.