How to Invoice as a Home Stager
A step-by-step guide to home staging invoices: what to quote first, how to bill furniture rental by the month, what to add when a listing runs long, and how to close out after de-staging.
A home staging job has two kinds of charges. One-time charges pay for your work: the consultation or design fee, delivery and installation, and at the end, pickup and de-staging. Rental charges pay for the furniture and decor while the home is on the market, billed for each rental period. Keeping the two apart lets the homeowner or listing agent see what a longer listing will cost before it happens.
The staging quote comes first. Billed's help center article on estimates says: "You can make an estimate and then send it to your client. Your client can approve it to proceed further." Billed's invoice software page then explains how to "convert an approved estimate into an invoice". For the rental months, the same page says: "For clients you bill on a schedule, set up a recurring profile once. Choose the billing frequency (daily, weekly, monthly or yearly) and how many invoices to send, or keep sending until you stop."
Worked example, using sample figures and leaving out tax: a three-bedroom listing is staged with a 30-day minimum. The first invoice has a design and setup fee of 1,200.00, delivery and installation of 350.00 and the first month's furniture rental of 1,750.00, for 3,300.00. The home is still listed after 30 days, so the second month's rental of 1,750.00 is billed. When the home sells, pickup and de-staging of 350.00 is added, making the second invoice 1,750.00 + 350.00 = 2,100.00 and the whole job 3,300.00 + 2,100.00 = 5,400.00.
Step-by-step invoicing guide
- 1
Agree on the scope and rental terms in writing
Before any furniture moves, write down the rooms you'll stage, the design and setup fee, the monthly rental, the minimum rental period and what happens if an item is damaged. Each invoice then follows terms the client has already seen.
- 2
Send an estimate and wait for approval
Put the one-time charges and the first rental period on one estimate. Billed's help center article on estimates says the client "can approve it to proceed further."
- 3
Invoice the setup charges and the first month
Show the design fee, delivery and installation, and the first rental period on separate lines, which lets the client tell the fixed costs from the charge that repeats.
- 4
Put the rental dates on each rental line
Write the start and end date of the rental period in the line description, for example: Furniture rental, June 1 to June 30. An extension is then the next period.
- 5
Bill each extra month while the home is listed
If the home is still on the market when a period ends, invoice the next one at the monthly rate in your agreement. A recurring profile in Billed can send these on a monthly schedule.
- 6
Add de-staging to the final invoice
When the home sells or the staging term ends, bill pickup and de-staging on the last invoice, with any damage charge your agreement allows, and note the date the furniture left the property.
Tips for home stager invoicing
- Show the property's address on each invoice. A client with several listings can then match every invoice to the right home.
- Save your design fees and rental rates as items. Billed's help article on items and services says: "You can use these items and services to bill your clients."
- Photograph each room after installation and keep the photos with the job, in case a damage question comes up at pickup.
- Address the invoice to whoever signed your staging agreement, whether that's the homeowner or the listing agent.
- Write the minimum rental period on the estimate, so it's on the document the client approved.
Common invoicing mistakes to avoid
- Combining the design fee and the furniture rental into one figure, so an extra month can't be priced from the invoice
- Leaving the rental dates off, so the client can't tell which period an invoice covers
- Waiting until the home sells to bill rental months that have already passed
- Forgetting pickup and de-staging on the final invoice
- Starting a second rental month without telling the client it will be billed
How this works in Billed
Estimates the client approves
Billed's help center article on estimates says: "You can make an estimate and then send it to your client. Your client can approve it to proceed further." Billed's invoice software page then explains how to "convert an approved estimate into an invoice".
Rental billed on a schedule
Billed's invoice software page says: "For clients you bill on a schedule, set up a recurring profile once. Choose the billing frequency (daily, weekly, monthly or yearly) and how many invoices to send, or keep sending until you stop."
A line item for each charge
Billed's help article on creating an invoice says: "Click 'Add a Line Item' and fill this section to charge against new items and services."
Card and offline payments
Billed's invoice software page says: "Connect your Stripe account and every invoice you send gets a pay button, so clients can pay by card." It also says: "When a client pays by check or cash, record it as an offline payment so all your income is in one place."
See who still owes you
Billed's invoice software page says: "Invoice reports show which invoices are paid, partially paid or past due, and you can see who owes you money and send them a payment reminder."
Frequently asked questions
Start Invoicing With Billed
Set up your account and send your first invoice with Billed.
At a glance
| Part of the job | On the invoice |
|---|---|
| Consultation and design | Design fee, billed once |
| Delivery and installation | A separate line on the first invoice |
| Furniture and decor | Monthly rental, with the period's dates |
| Listing runs long | The next rental period, same rate |
| Home sells | Pickup and de-staging on the final invoice |
When this isn't for you
If you stage homes as an employee of a staging company or a brokerage that bills the client, you won't send these invoices yourself.