Plasterer invoice wording and payment terms

Copy-and-paste blocks

• Skim line

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  Skim ceiling and walls — surfaces prepared, PVA'd where required and finished with two coats of multi-finish plaster.

• Board and skim line

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  Board and skim — plasterboard fixed to the existing structure, joints scrimmed and beaded, then skimmed to a smooth finish.

• Materials line

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  Materials supplied — plasterboard, angle and stop beading, scrim tape, bonding and multi-finish plaster.

• Payment terms

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  Payment due within 14 days of the invoice date by bank transfer.

• Drying time wording

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  Please allow at least 7 days for the plaster to dry fully before decorating, and use a mist coat as the first coat on new plaster.

Getting the terms to stick

You are often paid by a main contractor rather than the homeowner. Agree terms and the contractor's payment run date before the first bag is mixed.

If you don't state a payment period, the statutory default of 30 days applies — and you can charge statutory interest plus a fixed recovery cost on a commercial debt once it is late. Putting your terms on every invoice is what makes them enforceable without argument.

Common questions

Should a plasterer charge per room or per day?

Per room where the walls and ceilings are straightforward, and per day where you are patching, chasing out or waiting on other trades.

Do I include materials in the room price?

You can, but listing boards, beading and plaster separately makes your labour figure look reasonable and makes changes easy to price.

Should drying time go on the invoice?

Yes — a one-line note about drying before decorating prevents the most common post-job complaint, which is paint failing on fresh plaster.