Builder invoice template UK (2026): stage invoices, CIS, VAT, reverse charge
A builder invoice in the UK is not one document. A kitchen-side extension for a homeowner, a measured valuation for a main contractor, and a plot on a new-build estate all use the same trade, and three different bills.
Get the customer type wrong and the rest follows. CIS does not sit on a private householder. Domestic reverse charge does not sit on a customer who is not VAT-registered. A stage invoice that buries a variation in the lump is how a dispute starts at practical completion. A site invoice that lumps prelims, plant, bricks and labour into one line is how a contractor deducts 20% of the lot.
This is the 2026 builder template: required fields, labour versus materials, stage invoices and retention, prelims and plant, CIS at 20% or 30%, reverse charge, scaffolding hire-only versus erection, and how Building Control or warranty paperwork appears on a bill. InvoiceAdept does not issue Building Control certificates, NHBC warranties, FENSA certificates, or competent-person notifications.
InvoiceFree already has a thin builders invoice template, CIS stub plus one simple example. This page goes deeper: three customer types, stage invoices, prelims and plant, variations as own lines, and worked CIS 20 / 30 / reverse-charge numbers on the same kitchen extension.
Rules from GOV.UK. Figures are worked examples, not a price list. General information only, not tax, legal or Building Regulations advice.
InvoiceAdept is from Tech Me Today Ltd, Companies House 15917255, ICO ZB944663. Free: five invoices/month. Pro £7.99. Pro+ £12.99 (CIS). WhatsApp send on Pro. No InvoiceAdept platform fee on Stripe. We do not file CIS300 or MTD updates to HMRC. The broader guide is invoicing for builders; this page is the template.
The short answer
A UK builder invoice is not one template. Bill a private householder with a normal invoice and no CIS, adding VAT only if you are registered (threshold £90,000). Bill a main contractor with a labour/materials split and your UTR, because CIS deducts 20% (or 30% if unverified) from labour only. Name the stage, keep variations on their own lines, and you get paid.
Decide who you are billing. Homeowner: normal invoice, VAT only if you are registered. Contractor: labour/materials split, UTR, CIS at 0%, 20% or 30% on labour. Both VAT-registered and reverse charge applies: show the VAT, do not add it to what they pay.
Name the address, stage and variation. Split prelims, plant, materials and labour. Invoice deposits when taken. Retention is not a deposit. Send on the day, WhatsApp domestically, email for accounts.
First invoice: invoice generator. Free is five a month, deposit plus stages can burn the cap on one extension.
Which builder invoice do I use?
Most “builder invoice template UK” pages treat every customer as a name, an address and a total. On site they are not.
Homeowner extension / loft / renovation | Main contractor on a live site | New-build plot / developer package | |
|---|---|---|---|
Typical job | Side extension, loft, kitchen, garage conversion | Groundworks package, brickwork measured, weekly application | Plot shell, plot finish, package stages |
CIS on this invoice | No. An ordinary householder is not a CIS contractor. CIS CIS. | Yes, if the work is construction and they pay you as a subcontractor. Building work is in. | Usually yes, if a contractor or developer pays you under CIS. |
VAT if you are registered | Charge the right rate. They cannot reclaim it. Most work to an existing dwelling is standard-rated. | Often domestic reverse charge, they account for VAT, you do not collect it. | Many new qualifying dwellings are zero-rated under VAT Notice 708. Reverse charge does not apply to zero-rated supplies. |
How they want the bill | WhatsApp, same thread as the quote and variation photos | Email to accounts, PO, site and plot ref, valuation period | Email to accounts, plot number, package stage name |
How they pay | Card, Apple Pay, or same-day transfer | BACS on their payment run, often 14–30 days, sometimes with retention | BACS against valuation / stage certificate |
What bounces it | “Building works as discussed”, no stage name, variation buried in the lump | Missing UTR, labour mixed with bricks and plant, no PO, VAT when reverse charge applies | Wrong plot number, stage name that does not match the contract, free-issue listed as yours |
A contractor working for a homeowner is still a contractor. No reverse charge on a private customer (they are not VAT-registered), that does not make the contractor an end user for the subbie who bills them. See HMRC’s reverse charge supplier page.
Homeowners only: skip CIS and reverse charge, still read stages, prelims and variations. Contractors only: do not send a domestic invoice with 20% VAT tacked on.
General walkthrough: how to invoice a UK client as a tradesperson. Sister templates: electrician, plumber, roofer.
What must be on a UK builder invoice?
GOV.UK is narrower than most blogs. You must give an invoice by law when both you and the customer are VAT-registered. If you are not VAT-registered, keep numbered records of what you charged, that is also how you get paid.
What the invoice must include:
a unique identification number
your name (or company name), address and contact information
the customer’s name and address
a clear description of what you are charging for
the date the goods or service were provided (supply date)
the date of the invoice
the amount being charged
VAT amount if applicable
the total amount owed
Sole trader with a trading name: show your own name and a serviceable address. Limited company: registered name, company number, registered office. InvoiceAdept is Tech Me Today Ltd, Companies House 15917255, ICO ZB944663, match that standard.
VAT-registered: VAT number, rate, net, VAT in sterling. Threshold £90,000, register for VAT if you have gone over, or will. For a builder, “clear description” is what gets you paid.
Weak | Usable |
|---|---|
Building works | Kitchen side extension, stage 2 walls and roof weathertight, 14 Oak Lane, week ending 28 August 2026 |
Materials | Materials this stage: bricks, blocks, timber, DPC, receipts on file £2,200 |
Extras | Variation V03, extra patio door opening as WhatsApp 12 Aug 2026, labour £420, lintel £95 |
Checklist you can tick on site
Field | Homeowner, not VAT-registered | Homeowner, VAT-registered | Contractor, CIS + maybe reverse charge |
|---|---|---|---|
Your legal name and address | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Their name and address | Yes | Yes | Yes, plus site / plot / PO |
Unique invoice number and date | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Due date and payment terms | Yes | Yes | Yes. 7, 14 or contract terms. |
Description, qty, rate, line totals | Yes. Name the stage. | Yes | Yes. Dates on site help. |
Labour and materials split | Useful | Useful | Required for CIS. |
Prelims / plant as own lines | Useful on longer jobs | Useful | Often required so they do not sit in the CIS labour base. |
VAT number, rate, VAT amount | No | Yes | Yes, even when reverse charge applies |
Reverse charge wording | No | No | When it applies. |
UTR and CIS 0 / 20 / 30 lines | No | No | Yes. |
Building Control / warranty refs | Description only if relevant | Same | If the contractor asked |
How to pay | Sort code or card link | Same | Sort code. Card is rare on contractor jobs. |
How do labour, materials, prelims and plant split?
On a homeowner invoice the split is courtesy. On a contractor invoice it is the CIS calculation.
HMRC’s contractor rules: start with the gross, take off VAT, consumable stores, fuel (not travelling), plant hired for that job, manufacturing/prefabricating materials, and materials you paid for directly. No receipts? They estimate. What is left is the CIS base at 20%, 30% or 0%. Same list from the subbie side: what does not count as CIS pay.
Materials = what you paid for this job (bricks, blocks, timber, DPC, lintels, insulation). Mark-up is not materials, it stays in the labour base. Free-issue from the main contractor is not yours.
Prelims (welfare, fencing, skips): your labour stays in the CIS base; third-party hire tickets you paid for this job can come out with materials/plant.
Plant hire (digger, mixer, hired tower): off the CIS base with a hire invoice. Owned plant is not a made-up hire.
Two habits that cost money: one lump “extension works £7,000” (20% of the lot), and stuffing mark-up into materials so CIS looks smaller. Keep labour, materials, prelims and plant on separate lines even off CIS.
How do stage invoices and retention work?
Builders price long jobs in stages. Name the stage on every bill. Illustrative labels only, match your contract:
Deposit: before dig / brick order. Invoice when taken; state the %.
Groundworks / foundations
Walls and roof weathertight
First fix
Practical completion: balance less retention if agreed
Stage | How it looks |
|---|---|
Deposit | INV-0141, deposit 30% of agreed £7,000 kitchen side extension, 14 Oak Lane, £2,100 |
Stage | Stage 2, walls and roof weathertight, week ending 28 Aug 2026. Labour £X. Materials this stage £Y. |
Final | Practical completion. Agreed £7,000 less paid stages £Z less retention 5% held to [date] = due now |
Retention is not a deposit. Deposit = money you take before/during. Retention = money held after completion against snagging. Show full value, retention withheld, and release date, then invoice retention when due. Stage % in the quote, not a voice note. A deposit is a VAT tax point when received if you are registered.
Free (5/month) burns on deposit + stages + final. Pro removes the cap.
How do I invoice variations?
Confirm variations in writing (chat is fine). Price labour and materials separately. Code them V01, V02. Put each on the next stage as own lines, or raise a variation invoice the same day. Carry a running total on the final account. Never bury extras in “additional building works”.
Is scaffolding hire-only subject to CIS?
CIS CIS: scaffolding hire with no labour is outside the scheme. Hire without an operator is out; hire with an operator is in. Erection and dismantling are construction operations.
Scaffold contract | CIS | Reverse charge |
|---|---|---|
Hire only, no labour to erect | Out | Out (goods on hire) |
Hire plus erection / alteration / dismantling | In (labour) | In if other RC tests met and standard/reduced-rated |
Separate hire + labour lines | Hire out; labour in | Hire out; labour follows RC if tests met |
Third-party hire you paid for this job can come off your CIS base (receipt required). Owned tower = no notional hire in materials. Longer notes: roofer invoice template.
When does CIS apply to a builder?
CIS covers most construction work (site prep, building, alterations, repairs). You invoice gross; they withhold from labour as an advance on your tax and NI.
Subcontractor rates: 20% verified; 30% unverified / wrong name; 0% gross payment status. Use the legal name and UTR you registered with.
Show UTR, labour, materials (incl. evidenced plant hire), rate, deduction, net payable. That is not a CIS300, the contractor files. InvoiceAdept does not file CIS300.
CIS is on Pro+ £12.99 only. InvoiceFree puts CIS on free. Feature: CIS invoices. Grid: best CIS invoice software UK 2026.
CIS applies because a contractor pays you for construction operations, not because you are a builder. Homeowner jobs you sold yourself: no CIS line.
When do I charge VAT and reverse charge?
New qualifying dwellings: can be zero-rated when conditions are met.
Most work to an existing dwelling (extensions, lofts, lived-in renovations), standard-rated 20%.
Some conversions / empty-home renovations: reduced-rated 5% when Notice conditions are met (check, do not guess).
Listed-building approved alterations: zero-rating withdrawn from 1 October 2012; now standard-rated.
Domestic reverse charge when both VAT-registered, work reported within CIS, supply standard/reduced-rated, not an employment business supplying staff, and no written end-user notice: show VAT, do not add it to payable. Constructing/altering/repairing/extending a building is on the list; scaffold erection is; hire-only is not. Use the words reverse charge (e.g. “Reverse charge: VAT Act 1994 Section 55A applies”).
RC usually sits on the full net supply-and-fix value; CIS ignores materials, keep lines split. Never RC a private householder. Walkthrough: domestic reverse charge invoice UK.
Worked example: the same side extension, four invoices
A sole-trader builder builds a single-storey kitchen side extension at 14 Oak Lane. Labour for the package is £4,800. Materials the builder bought for this job (bricks, blocks, cement, timber, DPC, lintels, insulation) came to £2,200. Receipts exist. These numbers are a worked example, not a quote and not a day-rate.
Gross before VAT: £7,000.
A, Homeowner, you are not VAT-registered (no CIS, no reverse charge)
Line | Amount |
|---|---|
Labour, kitchen side extension, 14 Oak Lane, practical completion 28 Aug 2026 | £4,800.00 |
Materials (bricks, blocks, timber, DPC, lintels, receipts on file) | £2,200.00 |
Amount the customer pays you | £7,000.00 |
No VAT line. No UTR. No CIS. Due date and a sort code or pay link. If Building Control issued a completion certificate, put the reference in the description and attach the PDF separately.
B, Homeowner, you are VAT-registered, standard-rated existing dwelling
Same job. Existing dwelling, side extension, not a new qualifying dwelling under Notice 708. Most work to an existing building is standard-rated.
Line | Amount |
|---|---|
Labour | £4,800.00 |
Materials | £2,200.00 |
Subtotal | £7,000.00 |
VAT at 20% | £1,400.00 |
Amount the customer pays you | £8,400.00 |
You account for £1,400 output tax. There is still no CIS.
C, VAT-registered contractor, CIS-verified at 20%, reverse charge applies
Same labour and materials, billed to a main contractor. Both of you are VAT-registered. They have not given a written end-user notice. The payment will be reported under CIS.
Line | Amount |
|---|---|
Labour, kitchen side extension package, 14 Oak Lane, week ending 28 Aug 2026 | £4,800.00 |
Materials (this job only) | £2,200.00 |
Subtotal (VAT-exclusive) | £7,000.00 |
VAT at 20%, reverse charge, customer accounts | £1,400.00 (not charged) |
CIS deduction (20% on labour £4,800) | −£960.00 |
Amount the contractor pays you | £6,040.00 |
Wording: Reverse charge: VAT Act 1994 Section 55A applies. Customer to pay the VAT to HMRC.
What happens to the money:
Contractor pays you £6,040.
Contractor remits £960 CIS to HMRC against your UTR.
Contractor accounts for £1,400 reverse-charge VAT on their own VAT return (and usually reclaims it there).
You do not receive, and do not pay over, that £1,400.
If you had dumped £7,000 in one line, a cautious contractor deducts 20% of the lot and you are £440 light on the materials until Self Assessment.
D, Same contractor, not CIS-registered (30%)
Line | Amount |
|---|---|
Labour | £4,800.00 |
Materials | £2,200.00 |
Subtotal | £7,000.00 |
VAT at 20%, reverse charge, customer accounts | £1,400.00 (not charged) |
CIS deduction (30% on labour £4,800) | −£1,440.00 |
Amount the contractor pays you | £5,560.00 |
That extra £480 stays out of your account until Self Assessment. Registering for CIS is free.
Short stage sketch (domestic, not VAT-registered)
Same £7,000 package. Illustrative stages only.
Invoice | What it says | Amount |
|---|---|---|
INV-0141 deposit | Deposit 30% of agreed kitchen side extension, 14 Oak Lane, payable before groundworks | £2,100.00 |
INV-0142 / 0143 stages | Groundworks, then walls and roof weathertight, labour and materials each stage as scheduled | (your stage figures) |
INV-0144 final | Final account at practical completion. Agreed £7,000 less deposits/stages paid, less retention 5% (£350) held to 27 Sep 2026 | balance due now |
When 27 September arrives, raise INV-0145 for the £350 retention. Do not leave it as a chat reminder.
Building Control, warranties and CDM: what the invoice is not
The invoice is the bill. The completion certificate is the Building Control document. They are not the same PDF.
Building Control completion / approval: put the reference in the description if the customer needs it to release a stage payment. Attach the certificate as a separate PDF.
NHBC or other new-home warranty: only if the customer’s contract asked for it and the provider actually issued it. We do not issue warranties.
FENSA / competent-person scheme certificates: description and attachment only. InvoiceAdept does not issue them.
CDM is a health-and-safety regime for construction projects. The invoice is not a CDM document. For a short note aimed at small builders, see CDM regulations for small builders UK.
Does Making Tax Digital affect builder invoicing?
If your qualifying income is over £50,000 for 2024–25, Making Tax Digital for Income Tax applies from 6 April 2026. The threshold drops to £30,000 (2025–26 income) from 6 April 2027, and £20,000 (2026–27 income) from 6 April 2028. Making Tax Digitalwhen you need to use Making Tax Digital for Income Tax.
InvoiceAdept keeps digital invoice records. It does not submit quarterly updates to HMRC. Records are not filing. Detail: InvoiceAdept and MTD for UK trades.
How do I send it, and how does InvoiceAdept fit?
Domestic jobs sold in WhatsApp: put the invoice in that thread. Native send is Pro; Free users attach the PDF. Guide: WhatsApp invoicing UK. Contractors: email accounts with the PO; WhatsApp the site manager only as a copy.
Bank details on every invoice. Stripe UK cards 1.5% + 20p on our pricing page, no InvoiceAdept platform fee. InvoiceFree adds 1% on its payment links plus Stripe. Honest split: InvoiceAdept vs InvoiceFree. Accounts package comparison: vs QuickBooks.
InvoiceAdept Free | InvoiceAdept Pro | InvoiceAdept Pro+ | InvoiceFree | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Price (checked 29 Aug 2026) | £0 | £7.99 / month | £12.99 / month | £0 for invoicing; Plus £7.99 |
Invoices | 5 per month | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited on free |
CIS lines | No | No | Yes | Yes, on free |
WhatsApp send from the app | No (share a PDF yourself) | Yes | Yes | No native send |
Card | Not on Free | Stripe, no extra platform fee | Same | Stripe + 1% platform fee |
Files CIS300 or MTD to HMRC | No | No | No | No |
InvoiceAdept: try Free, WhatsApp on Pro, CIS on Pro+, card without the extra 1%. InvoiceFree: unlimited free + CIS on free if you mostly take bank transfer and accept 1% on card links. Annual InvoiceAdept plans 20% off; 14-day trial on paid. Pricing.
What mistakes delay a builder invoice?
“Building works” with no address, no stage name, and no date on site.
One lump sum on a CIS job, so 20% comes off the bricks and the digger.
Charging VAT to a VAT-registered contractor when reverse charge applies, or putting reverse charge wording on a homeowner invoice.
No UTR, or a trading name that does not match CIS registration.
Calling retention a deposit, or never invoicing the retention when it falls due.
Burying a variation in the lump so the final account cannot be reconciled to the quote.
Listing free-issue materials as your materials.
Inventing a plant-hire line for scaffold or a digger you own.
Printing NHBC, FENSA or Building Control as if InvoiceAdept issued the certificate.
Emailing a homeowner who only reads WhatsApp, or WhatsApping an accounts team that only pays on a PO.
Waiting until Sunday to invoice a stage you finished on Tuesday.
Assuming the invoicing app files CIS300 or MTD. Neither InvoiceAdept nor InvoiceFree does.
Using the old £85,000 VAT threshold. It is £90,000.
Free is five invoices a month, enough to try the invoicing tools and see how the CIS invoice lines read. Start free in 30 seconds.
FAQs
What should a UK builder invoice include?
Legal names and addresses, unique number, dates, a description that names the address/stage/variation, quantities and rates, due date, and a way to pay. Split labour and materials; add prelims/plant when they matter. VAT only if registered and RC does not apply. UTR/CIS only under a contractor. Baseline: GOV.UK.
Do builders need a CIS invoice?
Only when a contractor is paying you for construction operations. CIS covers building work, site preparation, alterations and repairs. A homeowner extension you sold yourself, standard invoice, no CIS. If you skip CIS registration and still work under a contractor, they deduct 30% instead of 20%.
How do CIS deductions work on a builder’s labour and materials?
CIS is on labour only. Bricks, timber and plant you hired for this job come off the gross before the rate is applied, if the contractor is satisfied you paid for them, receipts help. HMRC’s deduction steps are the source. A mark-up is not a material. Free-issue from the main contractor is not your material.
Do I charge VAT on a domestic builder invoice?
If VAT-registered and the customer is a private householder, yes, rate from VAT Notice 708. Most work to an existing dwelling is standard-rated; new qualifying dwellings can be zero-rated; some conversions/empty homes reduced-rated (check the Notice). Listed-building alteration zero-rating ended 1 Oct 2012. Not registered? Do not charge VAT. Threshold £90,000.
When does domestic reverse charge apply to a builder?
Both VAT-registered, work reported under CIS, standard/reduced-rated, not supplying staff as an employment business, no written end-user notice, show VAT, do not add it to payable. HMRC check. Never on a private householder. A contractor billing a homeowner is still a contractor to their subbie.
How should I invoice stages and retention?
Invoice each stage when it is due. Name the stage. Show labour and materials for that stage. Retention is money held after practical completion, show the full value, the retention withheld, and the release date, then invoice the retention when that date arrives. Retention is not a deposit.
Should Building Control or NHBC appear on the invoice?
Only as a description or attachment if the customer needs the reference. InvoiceAdept does not issue Building Control certificates, NHBC warranties, or competent-person scheme notifications.
Does InvoiceAdept file CIS or Making Tax Digital to HMRC?
No. It raises the invoice, stores the record, and on Pro+ prints CIS. It does not file CIS300 and it does not submit MTD quarterly updates. See MTD for UK trades.
InvoiceAdept or InvoiceFree for a builder invoice?
InvoiceFree: unlimited free + CIS on free if you accept 1% on card links (their builders template is a CIS stub). InvoiceAdept: Free trial of five, WhatsApp on Pro (£7.99), CIS on Pro+ (£12.99), no extra Stripe platform fee. Vs InvoiceFree.
About this guide
InvoiceAdept is invoicing software for UK trades (Tech Me Today Ltd, Companies House 15917255, ICO ZB944663). CIS on Pro+. We do not file CIS300, VAT returns or MTD updates. We do not issue Building Control, NHBC or competent-person certificates. The invoice is not a CDM document.
Invoice generator · Pricing · Invoicing for builders · Electrician / plumber / roofer templates.
Last reviewed: 29 August 2026. Check the GOV.UK pages linked above before you rely on a rate or form of words.
General information for UK builders, not tax, legal, accounting or Building Regulations advice.
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