Invoicing for Roofers: A Complete UK Guide

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

How to itemise roofing work properly

Roofing invoices benefit from detailed breakdowns because jobs often involve multiple cost elements. Customers are more likely to pay promptly when they can see exactly what they are paying for.

A typical re-roofing invoice might break down as follows:

• Strip existing roof: Labour for removing old tiles, felt, and battens
• Skip hire: For waste removal (list the skip company if you subcontracted it)
• Scaffolding: Either your own or hired from a scaffolding company
• Materials: Tiles, ridge tiles, felt, battens, lead flashing, fixings, mortar
• Labour: Laying new felt and battens, tiling, ridge work, lead work
• Extras: Fascia and soffit replacement, gutter work, chimney repointing

Separate labour from materials on the invoice. This is especially important if you work under CIS, as CIS deductions only apply to the labour element. It also helps customers understand the cost and reduces the chance of disputes.

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.

Getting stage payments right

Agree the stage payment schedule in writing before starting the job. Put it in your quote or contract so the customer knows what to expect. Each stage invoice should reference the original quote and state which stage of the project it covers.

For example, a three-stage invoice sequence for a full re-roof might look like:

• Invoice 1 (deposit): 35% of agreed total, due before start date. Description: "Deposit for re-roofing works at [address] as per quote [ref]"
• Invoice 2 (progress): 35% of agreed total, due on completion of strip, felt, and batten stage. Description: "Second stage payment — strip, felt, and battens complete"
• Invoice 3 (final): 30% of agreed total, due on completion. Description: "Final payment — tiling, ridge work, and lead flashing complete. All works finished and inspected."

Create each invoice with our invoice generator to maintain consistent numbering and formatting across the project.

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.

Remember: CIS deductions apply only to labour. If you supply materials (tiles, felt, battens, lead), list them separately on the invoice. The contractor should only deduct CIS from the labour portion. Many subcontract roofers lose money by not separating these clearly. See HMRC's CIS guidance for the full rules.

VAT considerations for roofers

If your turnover exceeds £90,000, you must register for VAT and charge 20% on your services. However, some roofing work qualifies for the reduced 5% VAT rate:

• Renovation of residential properties that have been empty for two or more years
• Converting a non-residential building into a dwelling
• Work on residential properties for certain qualifying purposes (e.g. installing energy-saving materials)

New-build residential roofing can be zero-rated if it is part of a qualifying new dwelling. Check HMRC's VAT Notice 708 for the detailed rules on construction VAT.

For most residential repair and maintenance roofing work (replacing a roof on an occupied house), the standard 20% rate applies. Use our VAT calculator to add VAT to your invoices correctly.

Including guarantees on roofing invoices

Many roofing customers expect a written guarantee. While the guarantee itself is usually a separate document, it is good practice to reference it on your invoice. For example: "This work carries a 10-year workmanship guarantee. See attached guarantee certificate for full terms."

Typical guarantee periods for roofing work:

• Flat roof (felt): 10 years
• Flat roof (fibreglass/GRP): 20-25 years
• Pitched roof re-tile: 15-20 years
• Repair work: 1-5 years depending on scope

Referencing the guarantee on the invoice adds professionalism and reassures the customer when paying the final balance.

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.

Under the Late Payment of Commercial Debts Act, you can charge 8% above Bank of England base rate on overdue commercial invoices, plus fixed compensation of £40-£100 depending on the debt size. This applies to business-to-business work (e.g. subcontracting for a main contractor), not domestic customers.

For domestic customers who will not pay, your options include mediation, the Small Claims Court (for debts under £10,000), or instructing a solicitor for larger amounts.

Insurance details on your invoices

While not legally required on the invoice itself, mentioning your insurance gives customers confidence. Many customers — and all main contractors — will want to know you have:

• Public liability insurance: Covers damage to the customer's property or injury to third parties. Most roofers carry £2-5 million cover.
• Employer's liability insurance: Required by law if you employ anyone, even a single labourer.

You can add a line to your invoice footer such as: "Fully insured — public liability cover to £5,000,000. Policy available on request."

Keeping records of roofing jobs

HMRC requires you to keep records of all income and expenses for at least 5 years. For roofers, this means keeping copies of every invoice you send, receipts for materials (tiles, felt, lead, battens, fixings), scaffolding hire invoices, skip hire receipts, and any subcontractor invoices if you hire labourers.

Digital records are strongly preferred — and will be mandatory under Making Tax Digital (see below). InvoiceAdept stores every invoice you create and tracks your expenses, keeping your records organised and accessible. You can export them for your accountant at tax return time.

If you work under CIS, also keep every payment and deduction statement (PDS) your contractor gives you. You need these to claim back CIS deductions on your self-assessment return. See HMRC's record-keeping guidance for the full list of what you must retain.

Quoting vs invoicing: get it right from the start

A quote and an invoice serve different purposes. The quote is your offer to do the work at a given price — once accepted, it forms part of the contract. The invoice is your request for payment after (or during) the work.

For roofing jobs, always provide a written quote before starting. Include:

• A detailed description of the work (e.g. "Strip and re-tile front elevation, approx 40m2, using Marley Ludlow Plus tiles")
• The total price, broken down by labour and materials
• What is included and excluded (e.g. "scaffolding included, skip hire excluded")
• Your payment terms and stage payment schedule
• How long the quote is valid for (30 days is standard)

When you then invoice, reference the original quote number. This ties the invoice to the agreed scope and price, reducing the risk of disputes. Use our invoice generator to keep numbering consistent across quotes and invoices.

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. Those earning above £30,000 will need to comply from April 2027. Full details are on the HMRC MTD page.

Frequently asked questions

Should I ask for a deposit before starting a roofing job?

Yes, for most roofing jobs. A deposit of 30-40% is standard practice and protects you from being out of pocket on materials if the customer cancels. Make sure you invoice the deposit formally and reference it in the final invoice.

Do I need to be VAT registered to invoice for roofing work?

Only if your taxable turnover exceeds £90,000 in any rolling 12-month period. Below that, VAT registration is optional. If most of your customers are homeowners, staying below the threshold and not registering usually keeps your prices more competitive. Use our VAT calculator to work out VAT amounts when needed.

How do I handle scaffolding costs on my invoice?

If you hire scaffolding from a third party, you can either pass the cost through to the customer (list it as a separate line item at the exact cost) or include it in your overall price. Passing it through transparently is usually better — customers can see you are not marking it up, and it keeps your labour rate clearer for CIS purposes.

What payment terms should I use for roofing work?

For domestic customers, payment on completion or within 7 days is standard. For commercial clients and main contractors, 14-30 days is typical. Whatever terms you use, state them clearly on every invoice. Generate professional payment terms with our payment terms generator.

How do I calculate my day rate as a roofer?

Use the formula: (Target annual income + business overheads) / billable days per year. Most roofers have 200-210 billable days after accounting for holidays, sick days, weather days, and admin time. Roofers typically lose more days to weather than other trades, so factor in 10-15 weather days per year on top of the usual allowances. Use our day rate calculator to work out your rate.

Get started

Start using InvoiceAdept for free and send your first professional roofing invoice in under a minute. Use our invoice generator to create itemised, professional invoices with automatic VAT and CIS calculations.