How mobile mechanics normally break the money out
A mobile mechanic's invoice is usually a call-out or diagnostic fee, labor at an hourly rate or by book time, and parts at your supplied price. Keeping those apart is what stops the customer asking what the total covered.
Step by step
- 1Record the vehicle: year, make, model, VIN or plate, and mileage at the time of service. It is what turns an invoice into a service record.
- 2Bill diagnosis separately from repair, and say whether it is credited against the repair if the customer goes ahead.
- 3Use either your hourly rate or published book time, and state which. Mixing them on one invoice is where customers lose trust.
- 4List parts individually with brand and part number where it matters, and note whether they are OE, OEM or aftermarket.
- 5State the parts and labor warranty — the mileage and the months — and note any recommended follow-up work you found.
When to send it
On completion, at the roadside or the driveway, before you pack up. Mobile repair is a cash-on-completion trade almost everywhere.
Take payment on site by card or transfer. Fleet accounts are the exception: invoice against their PO monthly and expect 30-day terms.
Common questions
- Should diagnosis be credited against the repair?
- Your call, but say which on the invoice. Many mechanics show the diagnostic charge and then discount it visibly as a line when the repair is booked.
- How long should a parts warranty be?
- Twelve months or 12,000 miles is the common standard for installed parts. Put it on the invoice so there is no argument if the part fails.
- Do customer-supplied parts change anything?
- Yes — note that you warranty labor only on customer-supplied parts, on the invoice, every time.
Make it in the browser instead
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