Roofer Invoice Template — Materials, Retention
Tear-off labour, materials priced by the square, underlayment and flashing, dumpster and disposal fees, milestone deposits — every line item a roofing job actually has.
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What a roofing invoice should itemize
●Tear-off / removal of existing roof. Per layer — first layer one rate, additional layers cost more.
●Materials (by the square). Shingles, tiles, or membrane priced per 100 sq ft.
●Underlayment, ice & water shield. Itemised by area or roll.
●Flashing, vents, drip edge. Itemised — these add up fast on a complex roof.
●Dumpster / disposal fee. Pass-through with admin %, or wrapped.
●Labour — install. Often per-square or per-day rate.
●Inspection / final walkthrough. Sometimes included, sometimes a final-payment trigger.
How roofing jobs get billed
Roofs are typically 25–40% deposit, balance on completion.
Storm and insurance work: invoice the homeowner, who is reimbursed by the insurer, or invoice the insurer directly if pre-approved.
Always reference the address on the invoice — insurance claim numbers reference the property, not the bill-to.
Tax notes
Materials are normally taxable. Many jurisdictions tax labour on construction; some exempt repair work on residential property. State the basis on the invoice and check local rules — roofing is one of the most-audited trades.
Frequently asked questions
How much deposit should I take on a roof job?
25–40% is industry standard for residential. The deposit covers material order — manufacturers don't refund custom orders. State 'non-refundable once materials are ordered' on the deposit invoice.
Should I bill the homeowner or the insurer?
Bill the homeowner unless the insurer has pre-approved direct billing. Even with direct billing, the homeowner usually pays the deductible. Reference the claim number on the invoice.
How do I bill for storm chasing / multiple jobs same week?
One invoice per job per address. If the homeowner has multiple buildings (barn + house), separate invoices keep insurance claims clean.
Do I invoice for the disposal/dumpster?
Yes — pass it through with a small admin %. Disposal isn't optional and the customer should see the cost.
A sample roofing invoice
Realistic, copy-and-paste-ready line items roofers typically use. Material and labour prices move with your region and the season, so treat these numbers as a reference rather than a rate card.
●Tear-off and disposal — 22 squares architectural shingle (labour 12 hrs + dumpster): $1,650
●Underlayment — synthetic, 22 sq + ice & water shield on eaves and valleys (materials + installation): $980
●Architectural shingle — 22 sq, dimensional with algae resistance (material + 16 hrs labour at $75/hr): $5,840
●Step flashing, drip edge, ridge vent (materials + 3 hrs labour): $585
●Pipe boots, attic-fan curb seal, chimney counter-flashing (materials + 2 hrs labour): $295
●Permit and final inspection (filing + AHJ pass-through): $235
●Photo documentation throughout install (before/during/after, emailed): no charge
Notes: Workmanship guaranteed 10 years. Manufacturer warranty on shingles (typically 30-50 yr limited). Magnetic sweep of yard and driveway completed at end of job. No nails left in turf or driveway. Two-stage final clean. Final invoice contingent on AHJ inspection pass.
When roofers see the money
Residential re-roofs from cash-pay homeowners are quick: 30-50% deposit, balance on completion. The slow lane is insurance work — hail damage, wind damage, fire restoration. Carriers pay in two pieces: an ACV (actual cash value) cheque issued at claim approval, and a depreciation cheque released only after the work is complete and supplementals approved. Sixty-day cycles are normal; the supplemental for ridge venting or step flashing the adjuster missed adds another 30 days.
GC and storm-chaser referrals are the cash-flow killer: the homeowner pays the GC, the GC pays you Net 60, and any back-charge for paint touch-up or landscape repair gets deducted before you see the cheque. Direct-to-homeowner roofs are always preferable if you can market for them. Commercial flat-roof work (TPO, EPDM) on industrial buildings pays on milestones: substrate prep complete, membrane installed, penetrations sealed, final inspection.
The billing errors that cost roofers weeks
●Not photographing the deck before underlayment. Insurers and homeowners both want proof the rotten decking you charged to replace was rotten. Phone-camera shot of every plywood swap, dated in the file.
●Skipping the magnetic-sweep line on the invoice. Picking nails out of a customer's tire two weeks after the job is your liability. The 30-minute magnetic sweep is the cheapest insurance you sell; itemise it so customers know you did it.
●Quoting per-square without specifying the underlayment. Synthetic vs felt, ice-and-water-shield coverage on eaves and valleys, drip edge type — these change the quote by 20%. Always quote with the underlayment spec written out.
●Forgetting to bill for chimney and skylight flashing. Skylights especially get treated as 'in scope' and then a $400 line item appears in the supplemental that the homeowner refuses. Quote them up front, photograph the existing flashing, get it signed.
●Letting insurance work go without a supplemental. Adjusters routinely miss ridge vent, drip edge, step flashing on the original scope. Don't start work without negotiating the supplemental — once the roof is on, your leverage is gone.
US tax notes for roofers
Roofing labour is non-taxable for residential capital improvements in NY (with Form ST-124) and most states treat a full re-roof as a capital improvement; a partial repair often flips to taxable repair-service. Texas taxes residential repair labour; California is materials-only. Insurance-paid roofs are still subject to sales tax based on your state's contractor rules — the cheque comes from the carrier but the tax treatment comes from the work performed. Florida and Hawaii are particularly tight on roofer licensing; bill accurately or risk a complaint to the state board.
Federal: 1099-NEC for any commercial or property-management client over $600/year. Roofer-specific deductibles: harness and rope-grab safety equipment (OSHA-required, fully deductible), magnetic sweepers (consumables), tarp inventory for emergency call-outs, lift-truck or boom-truck depreciation, continuing-ed for state contractor licence, and the often-forgotten line — sun-protection equipment (UV shirts, sun sleeves, sunscreen) which qualifies as a safety expense for outdoor labour.
Not tax advice — confirm specifics with your CPA or state department of revenue.
More questions from the roofing trade
How do I invoice insurance claim work the homeowner doesn't realise they owe deductible on?
Two lines on the invoice: 'Insurance carrier payment received: $X' and 'Homeowner deductible due: $Y' (typically $1,000-2,500). Many states make it illegal to absorb the deductible on insurance work — disclose it clearly so the homeowner doesn't expect you to eat it.
Should I charge for emergency tarp-overs separately from the eventual re-roof?
Yes — they're two jobs. Emergency tarp is its own invoice (typically $250-450 with materials). If the customer signs the re-roof, you can apply tarp labour as a credit; if not, you've covered your costs. Don't fold tarp into the eventual roof quote because the timeline often slips and you carry the tarp cost for weeks.
How do I handle a homeowner who wants me to skip the permit?
Don't. Permitless work voids your workmanship guarantee, often voids the manufacturer warranty on the shingles, and gets you sued when the next storm damages the house. State the policy: 'Work requires permit; we file it as part of the job.' If the homeowner refuses, walk.
What's the right way to itemise rotten-deck replacement found mid-job?
Set a per-sheet rate up front in the contract: 'Decking replacement: $85 per 4×8 sheet, billed only as needed, photographed before replacement.' Then on the final invoice the line is 'Decking replacement — 4 sheets at $85: $340' with photos attached. No surprises, no disputes.
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