Write it up before you leave
Plumbing calls are short and the customer is standing next to you. The best time to invoice is in the driveway, while the part numbers are still on the box and the customer still remembers what the leak looked like. The editor works on a phone, saves your common parts as items and remembers your rates, so a typical call takes a minute to write up.
The sample above is a residential repair. Edit it to your job (the general field list is in what to include on an invoice); your own lines are kept on this device for next time.
Example: emergency water heater replacement
A 40-gallon tank fails on a Saturday night and the owner upgrades to 50 gallons. Rates and parts prices below are editable examples, not price guidance.
| Description | Qty | Unit | Rate | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| After-hours service call, Sat Oct 18, 9:15 p.m. | 1 | each | $89.00 | $89.00 |
| Labor, after-hours rate | 2 | hour | $165.00 | $330.00 |
| 50-gal gas water heater, model and serial in notes | 1 | each | $1,150.00 | $1,150.00 |
| Thermal expansion tank, 2 gal | 1 | each | $78.00 | $78.00 |
| Gas connector, fittings, valve | 1 | lump sum | $64.00 | $64.00 |
| Haul-away and disposal of old heater | 1 | each | $60.00 | $60.00 |
| Water heater permit | 1 | each | $95.00 | $95.00 |
| Subtotal before tax | $1,866.00 |
Add the heater’s brand, model, serial number and the manufacturer warranty term in the notes. Many jurisdictions require a permit for water heater replacement, and some require an expansion tank or seismic strapping; your local code office can confirm.
Trip fees, flat rates and after-hours work
Most shops charge a service-call fee to cover the drive and the diagnosis. If you credit it toward the repair when the customer approves the work, add the credit as a negative line. That is clearer than quietly dropping the fee.
Flat-rate pricing is common for routine work: clear a main line, replace a toilet fill valve, install a garbage disposal. Use the unit “each” and name the fixture and room. Keep hourly billing for troubleshooting and jobs where the scope is unknown until you open the wall.
After-hours, weekend and holiday work deserves its own line and rate. Tell the customer before you go; write the time of the call on the invoice.
Parts, sales tax and warranty
Whether sales tax applies to parts, labor or both depends on your state, and sometimes on whether the job is a repair or a new installation. Set the tax rate per line in the editor so parts and labor can differ, and check with your state revenue department.
State your warranty in the notes: parts per manufacturer, workmanship for a set period. If you replace a part under warranty, show it at $0.00 so the record is complete.
Bigger jobs: estimate first
For a repipe, a sewer line replacement or bathroom rough-in, give a written estimate with the contractor quote template. On home-improvement contracts some states cap the deposit; California allows 10% or $1,000, whichever is less. Get any change in scope signed before doing the extra work. If you work as a sub on new construction, the construction invoice template shows progress billing and retainage.
After the job
Share the PDF by text or e-mail and mark it sent. Payment on site? Mark it paid and create a receipt. My documents lists every call with its status and exports a CSV at year end. Similar trades: electrical, HVAC quotes and the general contractor invoice template.