Should roofers ask for a deposit?

Yes, most roofers ask for 30-40% upfront to cover materials. This is standard practice and protects your cash flow on large jobs.

Do roofers need to be VAT registered?

Only if your taxable turnover exceeds £90,000 in a 12-month period. Below this, registration is voluntary.

invoicingroofersroofingCISgetting paid

Invoicing for Roofers: A Complete UK Guide

2 March 20262 min read

Professional invoicing for UK roofers

Whether you are a sole trader roofer or running a roofing company, sending professional invoices is essential for getting paid on time and keeping clean records for HMRC.

This guide covers everything you need to know about invoicing as a roofer in the UK, including what to put on your invoices, how to handle CIS, and how to deal with customers who pay late.

What to include on a roofing invoice

Every roofing invoice should include:

Your business name and contact details
Customer name and property address
A unique invoice number — use our invoice number generator to set up a system
Date and payment due date
Itemised breakdown: labour, materials (tiles, felt, battens, etc.), scaffolding hire, skip hire
VAT if applicable — check our VAT calculator
Clear payment terms
Bank details or online payment link

Stage payments for roofing jobs

Roofing work is often expensive and can take several days. Many roofers protect their cash flow by requesting stage payments:

30-40% deposit before starting
A progress payment at mid-point (e.g. after strip and felt stage)
Final balance on completion

Each stage payment should have its own invoice with a clear description of the work covered.

CIS for roofers

If you subcontract for a main contractor, CIS deductions may apply. The deduction is 20% if you are registered with HMRC, or 30% if not. Make sure your invoices show the gross amount, CIS deduction, and net payment clearly.

Use our CIS calculator to get the exact figures, and read more about CIS invoicing on InvoiceAdept.

Chasing late payments

Roofing jobs often involve large sums, so late payments can hit hard. Set up automatic payment reminders to nudge customers before and after the due date. If a payment is significantly overdue, you can charge statutory interest — use our late payment calculator to work out the amount.

MTD compliance for roofers

Self-employed roofers earning above £50,000 need to be MTD-compliant from April 2026. Digital invoicing with InvoiceAdept automatically keeps your records in the right format.

Get started

Start using InvoiceAdept for free and send your first professional roofing invoice in under a minute. Browse roofers across the UK in our directory.