General contractor invoice wording and payment terms

The exact sentences to put on a general contractor's invoice — description lines that stop questions, payment terms that hold up, and warranty wording customers trust. Copy any block with one tap.

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Copy-and-paste blocks

  • Payment terms

    Payment is due within 15 days of the invoice date. We accept ACH transfer, card and check. Please include the invoice number with your payment.

  • Description line

    Draw 3 — framing complete, rough-in started, change order 2 included. Progress draws against a schedule of values, with change orders, allowances and retainage tracked separately — itemized below.

  • Late payment

    Balances unpaid after the due date may be subject to a late fee as permitted by state law and as set out in our agreement. We will always contact you before applying one.

  • Deposit and scheduling

    A deposit is required to schedule the work and to cover materials. The balance is due on completion. Deposits are applied to the final invoice and shown as a credit line.

  • Warranty

    Our workmanship is warranted for 12 months from the date of completion. Manufacturer warranties on supplied materials apply in addition and are passed through to you in full.

  • License and insurance

    Licensed and insured. Your state contractor license number, bond and general liability insurance available on request and shown on this invoice where applicable.

Getting the terms to stick

Draw payments run on the customer's or lender's cycle, so submit early against the cut-off date. If a draw is late, the lien deadlines in your state are the reason to act promptly rather than wait politely.

Terms only bind if the customer agreed to them before the work, so put them in the estimate or contract as well as on the invoice. Late fees and finance charges are regulated at state level, so check what your state allows before you set a rate.

Common questions

What is a schedule of values?
A breakdown of the contract into phases with a dollar value each, so every draw invoices a percentage of defined work instead of a round number.
How should change orders be billed?
Numbered, dated, signed before the work, and invoiced as separate lines. Never absorb them into a draw.
What is retainage?
A percentage the owner holds back until completion. Show it as a line on every draw and invoice its release separately.

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