General contracting

General Contractor Invoice Template (Free)

By ShowTheReceipts · Updated

Short answer

A general contractor invoice needs labor, materials, subcontractor costs, and permits itemized, with any deposit or prior progress payments applied and the balance for the current phase clearly due — plus the project, date, and payment terms. Copy the template below, or use invoicing software that tracks progress billing across a project.

What belongs on the invoice

  • Business name and contact info
  • Customer name, project, and address
  • Invoice date and phase/milestone
  • Line items — labor, materials, subcontractors, permits
  • Prior payments applied, subtotal, tax, and balance due
  • Payment terms — per phase or on receipt
  • Payment method(s) accepted

The template

[Your Business Name]
[Address] · [Phone] · [Email]

Invoice #____        Date: __________
Project: [Name / Address]
Phase / Milestone: __________

--------------------------------------------------
Description                              Amount
--------------------------------------------------
Labor — this phase                       $______
Materials                                $______
Subcontractors                           $______
Permits / fees                           $______
--------------------------------------------------
Subtotal                                 $______
Tax (if applicable)                      $______
Prior payments applied                  -$______
Balance Due                              $______

Payment due per contract. Accepted: [cash / card / check / etc.]
Thank you for your business!

Why progress billing keeps you solvent

Waiting until a big project is done to invoice is how a contractor runs out of cash mid-job. Billing by phase keeps money coming in as work completes, and showing prior payments applied keeps the running balance clear for both sides.

Skipping the copy-paste

A blank template works for one phase, but tracking payments across a whole project by hand invites errors. Invoicing software keeps the project ledger — prior payments, current phase, remaining balance — straight for you.

Frequently asked questions

How do I invoice a multi-phase project?

Bill by phase or milestone. Each invoice covers the work completed since the last one, applies prior payments, and shows the remaining project balance so the customer always knows where things stand.

Should subcontractor costs be their own line?

Yes. Listing subcontracted work separately from your own labor keeps the invoice honest and makes it clear what you managed versus performed — which matters if a line is ever disputed.

Do permits go on the invoice?

Yes, as a pass-through line. The customer is paying the permit cost, and itemizing it keeps it from looking like padded labor and documents that it was pulled.

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