Free resources · Builders, plumbers and heating engineers
Free invoicing resources for builders & plumbers
Materials bought on your card, extras agreed on a doorstep and a final invoice sent a week late — that's where builders and plumbers lose money. This free pack closes those gaps.
What's in the free pack
- Job pricing worksheet — Work through this before you send any quote, so every hour and cost is covered.
- Materials and deposit checklist — Stop funding customers' materials out of your own pocket.
- Variation (extra work) wording — Copy and adapt this message whenever the job changes.
- Getting paid on completion — A simple routine for the last hour of every job.
Late payment in numbers
Official UK figures — every number links to its source.
£11bn
a year — what late payments cost the UK economy
Source: GOV.UK, July 2025
38
UK businesses closed every day because of late payment
Source: GOV.UK, July 2025
8% + base
statutory interest you can claim on late business-to-business invoices
Source: GOV.UK
£40–£100
fixed compensation per late business invoice, depending on the amount
Source: GOV.UK
Statutory interest and compensation apply when your customer is a business (a landlord company, contractor or agent). For homeowners, your written terms, deposits and prompt invoicing do the heavy lifting.
Where money usually slips away
Funding customers' materials
Ordering stock before a deposit lands means you carry the cost — and the risk if the job is cancelled.
Extras agreed verbally
Work added on site without a written yes is the easiest charge for a customer to dispute later.
Invoicing days after finishing
The longer the gap between finishing and invoicing, the further down the customer's priority list you fall.
Featured guides
How to charge for materials on a UK trade invoice
Read the guide
How much deposit should you ask for on a UK trade job?
Read the guide
Overdue business invoice: a calm UK follow-up workflow
Read the guide
Practical starting points, not legal or tax advice. Check GOV.UK guidance and take professional advice where your situation needs it.