How to Invoice as a Carpenter
A step-by-step guide to billing a carpentry job: price materials and labor on an estimate, get approval, schedule the deposit and the balance, price change orders first, and follow up until the invoice is paid.
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics' profile of carpenters (last modified August 27, 2026) says "Carpenters construct, repair, and install building frameworks and structures made from wood and other materials." It also says "Self-employed carpenters often work in residential construction." For an independent carpenter, the invoice has to show the customer exactly what they're paying for.
This guide follows one job from estimate to final payment. Billed's construction industry page covers the wider trade, and the construction invoice template gives you a ready layout.
Worked example, with made-up figures: a built-in bookshelf. Materials are 12 sheets of plywood at 58.00, or 696.00, plus 84.00 of hardware; labor is 16 hours at 65.00, or 1,040.00. The estimate total is 1,820.00. The payment schedule sets a 40% deposit of 728.00 due on approval and 1,092.00 due on completion. Halfway through, the customer asks for crown molding, priced on a new estimate at 6 hours at 65.00 plus 45.00 of trim, 435.00, and approved before the work. In all, the customer pays 2,255.00, with no sales tax included in these figures.
Step-by-step invoicing guide
- 1
Price the job on an estimate
Give materials and labor separate lines. To price by the unit, Billed's estimating page says you can "customize units and quantities for each product," so plywood can be priced by the sheet and labor by the hour.
- 2
Get the customer's approval
Billed's features page says "your clients can approve or reject your estimates online." Wait for the approval before you order materials.
- 3
Convert the approved estimate
Billed's invoice software page says you can "convert an approved estimate into an invoice," so the prices the customer agreed to carry over unchanged.
- 4
Schedule the deposit and the balance
Billed's help center says "A payment schedule lets you add a payment plan to the invoices." You "Choose a suitable option among percentage or flat amount" and "Fill out the payment amount and due date of each payment." The same article says "the sum of all the payments should be equal to the total balance of the invoice."
- 5
Price change orders before the work
When the customer asks for more, price it on a new estimate and hold off until they approve it, so the original job and the extra each keep their own document.
- 6
Bill the materials you paid for
If you record materials as expenses for the customer, Billed's help center says "If there are any unbilled expenses of a particular client, you can add these expenses to the client's next invoice." It adds: "The expense will appear as a line item in the invoice."
- 7
Follow up on the balance
Billed's help center says: "Turn on the 'Payment Reminders' option while creating or editing an invoice." It also says "You can set a schedule of payment reminders before and after the invoice's due date."
Tips for carpenter invoicing
- Write your workmanship warranty where the invoice has room for terms. The help center's line on additional notes: "You can also add any terms and conditions in this section."
- Attach photos of the finished work; Billed's help center says "You can add attachments in the form of photos, PDFs, spreadsheets, or files in an invoice."
- Keep each material's name identical from estimate to final bill; the customer can then match them line by line.
- Your state decides contractor licensing and sales tax on materials; look up its rules before your first job.
Common invoicing mistakes to avoid
- Ordering materials before the estimate is approved
- One lump sum for materials and labor that the customer can't check
- Extra work done on a verbal request with no new price
- Waiting weeks after the job to send the final invoice
How this works in Billed
Estimates with units and quantities
Price plywood by the sheet and labor by the hour; Billed's estimating page says you can "customize units and quantities for each product."
Approval and conversion
Your customer approves the estimate online; then it becomes the invoice.
Deposit and balance
Bill the deposit now and the rest at the finish, giving each payment its due date (Billed's help center).
Materials from expenses
Add a customer's unbilled material expenses to their next invoice, where each one appears as a line item.
Card, PayPal, checks and cash
Customers can use the pay button for cards or PayPal, and you log checks and cash as offline payments.
Frequently asked questions
Start Invoicing With Billed
Set up your account and send your first invoice with Billed.
At a glance
| Step | In Billed |
|---|---|
| Price the job | Estimate with units and quantities |
| Approval | Estimate approved online, then converted |
| Deposit and balance | Payment schedule |
| Materials you bought | Unbilled expenses on the next invoice |
When this isn't for you
If the way you invoice carpentry jobs today already works for you, there's no need to switch.