What goes on a plumbing invoice
The template above starts with labor, parts and a call-out fee because most service calls need all three. Delete any line you don’t charge. A complete plumbing invoice also has:
- •Your business name and contact details — and your license number if your state requires it on invoices.
- •The customer’s name and the job address. For rentals, the person paying is often not the person who called you.
- •A short description of the problem and the fix, e.g. “Replaced leaking supply line under kitchen sink.”
- •An invoice number, the invoice date and a real due date.
- •How the customer can pay — card, bank transfer, check — so nobody has to call you to ask.
Labor: hours or flat rate
If you bill by the hour, enter the hours in the quantity column (half hours are fine, e.g. 1.5) and your hourly rate as the price. If you quote flat prices for common jobs like a faucet swap or a toilet rebuild, put the job name as the description with a quantity of 1. Either way, describe the work in plain language — “labor” on its own invites questions; “Labor – replace water heater thermostat” doesn’t.
Parts and materials
List each part on its own line with its quantity — fittings, valves, supply lines, cartridges, a new fixture. Customers are more comfortable paying for parts they can see listed, and the line items become your record of what was installed if there’s a warranty question later. If the customer supplied a part themselves, say so in the notes, so it’s clear you didn’t provide or warranty it.
Call-out, emergency and permit fees
Bill the call-out fee (or service call, or trip charge — use whatever you called it when the customer booked) on its own line. If you credit it when the customer goes ahead with the repair, show the fee and the credit so they can see it was applied. Emergency or after-hours rates and any permit or inspection fees also belong on separate lines, so a higher total is explained before the customer has to ask.
Get paid before you leave the driveway
The easiest invoice to collect is the one the customer gets while you’re still there. Send it as soon as the job is done, make the due date “on completion” if that’s what you agreed, and give the customer a way to pay from their phone. For jobs that go unpaid, use these payment reminder email templates or set up automatic invoice reminders. Not sure how to split labor and parts on a bigger job? Read how to invoice for parts and labor.
Frequently asked questions
What should a plumbing invoice include?
Your business name, license number if your state requires it, and contact details; the customer’s name and the job address; an invoice number and date; a short description of the problem and the work done; labor (hours and rate, or a flat price); each part with its quantity and price; any call-out, emergency or permit fees; the total; the due date; and how the customer can pay.
Should I itemize parts on a plumbing invoice?
Yes. Listing each part with its quantity and price shows the customer what was installed and makes the total easier to accept. It also gives you and the customer a record of exactly which parts went in if there is a warranty question later.
How do I show a call-out fee on an invoice?
Put it on its own line, named the way you described it to the customer when they booked — call-out fee, service call or trip charge. If you waive or credit it when the customer goes ahead with the repair, show the fee and the credit so the customer can see it was applied.
When should a plumbing invoice be due?
For residential service calls, payment on completion is a sensible default: the work is finished and the customer is right there. Commercial customers and property managers may ask for longer terms. Whatever you choose, agree it before the job and put the actual due date on the invoice.
Can I add warranty terms to a plumbing invoice?
Yes. Use the notes section to state what is covered and for how long — for example, your workmanship guarantee and any manufacturer warranty on parts. Keep the wording short and match what you actually offer.