Templates for contractors

Contractor invoice template + 3 payment reminder emails

A contractor invoice shows the job address and dates, labour hours, materials with receipts and any call-out charge on separate lines, plus the client’s reference and how to pay. If it’s late, send a short reminder within a few days, then ask for a date: the longer it waits, the harder it gets.

Contractor invoice template · free, Word or PDF

For independent contractors and tradespeople: labour, materials and call-outs on separate lines, with the job address and the client’s reference, so it gets paid without questions.

INVOICE

Description	Qty	Rate	Amount
Labour, [job] at [site address], [dates]	16 hours	45.00	720.00
Materials (receipts attached)	1 lot	320.00	320.00
Call-out and travel	1	60.00	60.00

Payment due within [14/30] days of the invoice date by bank transfer or card. Late payments may incur interest and fees as allowed by law and these terms.

Every contractor invoice needs

Job or site address
Dates worked
Materials with receipts
Your tax or business number where required

Prefer to fill it in online? Use the free invoice generator.

If it’s paid late

3 payment reminder emails for contractors

1. 3 days late

Subject: Invoice #1042 for the work at [site address]

Hi [Name],

Thanks again for having me on the job at [site address]. A quick reminder that invoice #1042 ([amount]) was due on [date]. You can pay here: [payment link], or by bank transfer to the details on the invoice.

Thanks,
[Your name]

2. 10–14 days late

Subject: Following up: invoice #1042

Hi [Name],

Following up on invoice #1042 for [amount], now [X] days overdue. The materials on it were bought for your job and paid for upfront, so I’d be grateful if you could let me know when it will be paid.

Best,
[Your name]

3. 21+ days late

Subject: Final reminder: invoice #1042

Hi [Name],

This is my final reminder about invoice #1042 ([amount]), now [X] days overdue. Please pay by [date], or call me today if something is wrong with the work.

If I don’t hear back, I’ll add the late-payment interest the law allows and take the next formal step.

Regards,
[Your name]

Want one written for your exact situation? Try the free reminder email writer, or add the late-payment interest the law allows.

Free tool · no sign-up

Write a reminder for your contractor invoice

Pick how late it is and how you want to sound. Copy it into any email, or let Babara send it for you.

Your email appears here

Pick how late the invoice is and the tone you want. Babara writes a short, human reminder you can paste into any email.

Why contractors get paid late

What usually holds the invoice up

Materials paid out of your pocket

You bought the materials, so a late invoice costs you twice. Take a deposit for materials before you start, or bill them as soon as they’re bought.

“We’ll pay when the job’s signed off”

Snagging lists can drag. Agree in writing what “finished” means and invoice stages as they’re done.

Paid through a main contractor

Your contract is with whoever hired you, not their client. Their payment from upstream isn’t your payment date unless you agreed it.

No written agreement

A text message or email that confirms the price and dates counts. Save it with the invoice in case you need it later.

Next time

Four habits that get contractors paid on time

Take a deposit that covers materials before you start.
Confirm the price and dates in writing, even by text.
Invoice each stage as soon as it’s done.
Keep receipts for materials with the invoice.

Before you start

Good questions

What should an independent contractor put on an invoice?

Your name or business, address and contact details; the client’s name and reference; an invoice number and date; the job address and dates worked; labour, materials and other charges on separate lines; the total, the due date and how to pay. Add your tax or VAT number if you’re registered.

Can a contractor charge interest on a late invoice?

Between businesses, yes: in the UK the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998 allows statutory interest and fixed compensation. For homeowners (consumers), rely on the late-payment terms you agreed in writing.

Illustration of a coral front door with a brass knocker and a potted plant

Consider the awkward part handled

Let Babara send these for you

Add the invoice once. Babara sends the right reminder at the right time, and stops the moment they pay or reply.

Start free

Your clients won’t know what hit them. (A very polite email.) Free for your first 3 invoices.