Quote to Invoice: The Complete Billing Process

The right time to invoice depends on your trade and project size: **Small jobs (under £500)**: Invoice on completion. Payment due immediately or within 7 days. **Medium jobs (£500-5,000)**: Request deposit before starting. Balance on completion. **Large jobs (£5,000+)**: Deposit, progress payments at milestones, retention if applicable.

Deposits protect your cash flow and confirm client commitment. **How much?** 25-50% is typical. Higher for custom orders or expensive materials. **When to request?** After quote acceptance, before ordering materials or booking the job. **Make it easy**: Include bank details or payment link in your deposit invoice.

For projects lasting weeks or months, don't wait until the end to bill. **Common structures**: - 30/30/40: Deposit, halfway, completion - 25/25/25/25: Quarterly or at four milestones - Monthly applications: For long-running projects **Document progress**: Photos and brief descriptions support each invoice.

Your final invoice should: 1. Reference the original quote number 2. List all work completed (can summarize if detailed in quote) 3. Deduct any deposits or progress payments already made 4. Show clear balance due 5. Include payment instructions 6. State payment terms (e.g., due within 14 days) Send immediately on completion while value is fresh in client's mind.

Late payments hurt your business. Handle them professionally but firmly. **Day 1 overdue**: Friendly reminder email. "Just checking you received the invoice." **Day 7**: Phone call. Ask when payment will be made. **Day 14**: Formal letter. Reference late payment legislation (8% + base rate interest in UK). **Day 30+**: Consider debt recovery or small claims court. Prevention is better: Take deposits, invoice promptly, make payment easy.