How to Invoice as a Roofer: Rates, Terms and Templates

To invoice a roofing job, bill the homeowner or property owner you contracted with, using the same line items and quantities as your signed estimate: squares of tear-off and new roofing, underlayment, flashing and drip edge by the linear foot, ventilation, decking replacement by the sheet, disposal and permits. Show any deposit and progress payments already received, the balance due, and any changes the customer approved in writing. On an insurance-funded job, add the claim number and keep upgrades the homeowner chose on their own lines.

This guide covers the line items, a worked cash job with a deposit and progress payments, how insurance-claim jobs are invoiced and what state law says about deductibles and assignment of benefits, and how to set the invoices up in InvoiceQuickly.

What line items belong on a roofing invoice?

A roofing square is 100 square feet of roof surface. Use the same square count on the invoice as on the estimate, unless a change order adjusted it.

Two lines cause most disputes: decking and extra layers. Neither can be counted until the old roof is off, so put a unit price for each in the estimate ("7/16 OSB decking replaced at $95 per sheet if required") and bill the real count afterwards, with photos kept on file.

Rates in this article are illustrative, not market prices. They vary by region, pitch, access and material; see the roofing invoice template for a blank layout.

How should you structure deposits and progress payments?

Agree the schedule in the contract and invoice against it. A typical residential reroof has three or four payments: a down payment at signing, a payment when materials are delivered, one when tear-off and decking are complete, and the balance at completion. Each payment should match work done or materials delivered at that point.

Check your state's limits first. In California, a home improvement contract's down payment may not exceed $1,000 or 10% of the contract price, whichever is less, and later payments must not exceed the value of work performed and materials delivered. The contract must carry that wording in bold, and a payment schedule must describe each phase and its amount (Contractors State License Board, Industry Bulletin 22-14, citing Business and Professions Code sections 7159 and 7159.5). Other states set their own rules, so check with your state's contractor licensing board.

Worked example: a 28-square reroof in California

A roofer contracts with a homeowner to replace a one-layer asphalt shingle roof. The figures are illustrative.

After tear-off, 7 sheets of rotted decking are found and replaced at the agreed $95 per sheet: $665.00, approved in writing by the homeowner. The final contract value is $17,015.00.

The payment schedule, kept within the California rule:

No sales tax line is shown here. How roofing is taxed depends on the state and on how the contract is written, so check with your state's revenue department before adding one.

How do you invoice an insurance-claim roofing job?

Your customer is the homeowner, not the insurance company. The insurer settles the claim with its policyholder under the terms of the policy; you contract with the homeowner and invoice the homeowner for the agreed work. Keep those two relationships separate on paper.

• Ask for the insurer's estimate or settlement letter. It shows the approved scope, the amounts and the deductible. Under replacement cost coverage, the policy pays to repair or replace without deducting for depreciation, and under actual cash value coverage it pays the depreciated cost (NAIC, Know the difference between replacement cost and actual cash value). The letter usually explains what the insurer has paid or will pay the homeowner, which tells you when they can pay you.
• Match the insurer's line items where you can, using the same units and quantities, and add the claim number to your invoice notes. It makes the homeowner's paperwork easier.
• Put the homeowner's upgrades on separate lines. If they chose a better shingle or added ventilation beyond the approved scope, those lines are theirs to pay.
• Show the full price. The homeowner owes the deductible. Never reduce the invoice to absorb it or show a "deductible credit".
• Hidden damage needs approval twice: a change order signed by the homeowner for your contract, and whatever approval their insurer requires before it pays more.

Example (hypothetical). The insurer approves $14,200 to replace a roof under a replacement cost policy with a $2,000 deductible. The homeowner also chooses a premium shingle for $1,150 extra. Your contract and invoice are for $15,350. If the insurer pays the approved amount less the deductible, $12,200, the homeowner pays the remaining $3,150 themselves: the $2,000 deductible plus the $1,150 upgrade. If their insurance check also names their mortgage lender, they may need the lender's endorsement before they can pay you, so plan the final payment date with them.

What do state laws say about deductibles and assignment of benefits?

Rules differ by state. These three examples show how much. This is general information, not legal advice; check the current law in your state or ask a lawyer before you change your contracts. Last reviewed: October 27, 2026.

Florida.

• Assignment of benefits. A policyholder may not assign post-loss benefits under a residential or commercial property insurance policy issued on or after January 1, 2023. Any attempt to do so is "void, invalid, and unenforceable" (Florida Statutes, section 627.7152(13), 2026). So for those policies you cannot take over the homeowner's claim and bill the insurer directly; you invoice the homeowner. Limited exceptions in subsection (11) cover things like a later buyer of the property and a power of attorney.
• Prohibited inducements. A contractor may not offer a residential property owner a rebate, gift, cash or a waiver of any insurance deductible in exchange for a roof inspection or for making a roof insurance claim, and may not interpret policy provisions, advise on coverage, or adjust a claim unless licensed as a public adjuster (Florida Statutes, section 489.147).

Texas. The Texas Department of Insurance says (Roofing and insurance: Know the law, last updated March 24, 2025):

• A contractor may not act as a public adjuster on a claim for a property it is working on, or advertise that it will.
• It is illegal for a contractor to offer to waive, rebate or absorb the policyholder's deductible.
• Contracts of $1,000 or more that involve an insurance settlement must include a notice that the policyholder must pay the deductible, and insurers may ask for proof that it was paid.

California. The down-payment and progress-payment limits above apply to home improvement contracts, including insurance-funded ones.

Elsewhere, assignment of benefits may be allowed with conditions, or restricted for particular policy types. Where it is legal and you take one, follow its terms and your state's rules on who you bill.

When should you send each roofing invoice?

• Down payment: with the signed contract, within your state's limit.
• Progress invoices: when the milestone in the schedule is reached (materials delivered, tear-off and decking complete), not before.
• Change orders: as soon as the homeowner approves them in writing, either as their own invoice or added to the next progress invoice.
• Final invoice: on completion, listing every line, every approved change and every payment received, with the balance due. Include the warranty details you promised: workmanship warranty length, and the manufacturer warranty registration if you submitted it.
• Commercial jobs often follow a monthly pay-application schedule with retainage set by the contract. See the construction invoicing guide and progress billing.

Payment terms for residential work are usually due on receipt at each milestone; for commercial work, the contract sets them, often net 30. Agree any late fee in the contract before work starts. For wording, see invoice payment terms.

Common roofing invoice mistakes

• One lump-sum line. "Reroof: $17,015" invites questions. Itemise by squares, linear feet and sheets, as in the estimate.
• Billing decking or extra layers without the agreed unit price. If the estimate did not set a per-sheet price, the customer will dispute the count and the rate.
• Collecting ahead of the work. In states like California, payments ahead of work done or materials delivered break the law, not just good practice.
• Mixing insurance scope and upgrades. The homeowner needs to see which lines the insurer approved and which are their own choice.
• Absorbing or "covering" the deductible. It is illegal in Texas and an illegal inducement in Florida when offered for an inspection or claim.

How to invoice roofing jobs in InvoiceQuickly

Type or say the job ("Invoice Maria Lopez, 412 Oak Ave, 28 squares tear-off at $95, underlayment at $45, shingles at $380, 240 feet drip edge at $4, ridge vent 40 feet at $12, permit $350, deposit $1,000 received") and InvoiceQuickly drafts the invoice for you to check before saving. You can also enter it by hand. It runs in the browser; there is no native mobile app.

• Every plan: line items with quantity and unit price (up to 100 lines), so squares, linear feet and sheets each get their own line; one tax percentage per invoice; notes for the claim number, warranty and payment schedule; PDF download; and recording full or partial payments, so the deposit and each progress payment reduce the balance.
• Pro ($9/month): estimates the homeowner can accept in a private client portal and then convert to an invoice, email delivery, scheduled reminders before and after the due date, credit notes, and payment links from your own Stripe or PayPal account for the remaining balance (their fees apply). A payment link is for a fixed amount, so create a new one after you record a partial payment by check or transfer.
• Not available: there is no separate deposit, progress-billing, schedule-of-values or retainage feature, no lien waiver forms and no photo attachments on invoices. Invoices can be edited only while they are drafts, so bill an approved change on the next invoice. For a payment schedule, either issue one invoice for the contract and record each payment against it, or issue a separate invoice for each milestone (duplicating the first saves retyping). The Free plan covers 5 invoices and 5 clients. See pricing.

When this guide is not the right fit

• Commercial roofing on pay applications. AIA-style pay applications, retainage and lien waivers need construction billing tools; see invoicing for contractors.
• Storm-restoration companies running many claims. You need claims documentation and job management software alongside invoicing.
• Work under an assignment of benefits where your state allows it. Billing the insurer follows the assignment and state rules, which this article does not cover.

Frequently asked questions

How do you write an invoice for a roofing job?

List your business and the customer's details, the property address, an invoice number and date, then itemise the work as in the estimate: tear-off, underlayment, roofing and flashing by the square or linear foot, decking by the sheet, permit and disposal. Add approved changes, subtract payments already received and show the balance and due date.

Who pays the roofer on an insurance claim?

Usually the homeowner. The insurer pays its policyholder under the policy, and the homeowner pays you under your contract, including the deductible. Some states allow the homeowner to assign insurance benefits to a contractor, but Florida voids assignments of post-loss benefits for property policies issued on or after January 1, 2023.

Can a roofer waive the insurance deductible?

Not legally in Texas, where offering to waive, rebate or absorb a deductible is prohibited, and in Florida a contractor may not offer a deductible waiver in exchange for a roof inspection or an insurance claim. Elsewhere, check your state's law before agreeing to anything that changes what the homeowner pays.

How much deposit can a roofer take?

It depends on the state. In California, the down payment on a home improvement contract may not exceed $1,000 or 10% of the contract price, whichever is less, and later payments must not exceed the work done and materials delivered. Check your state's contractor licensing rules before setting a deposit.

Can I just make my own roofing invoice?

Yes. Any clear invoice with the required details works. Start from the roofing invoice template or the estimate template for the quote, and keep the same line items on both.

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Other trades guides: how to invoice as a painter, how to invoice as an HVAC technician, the contractor invoicing guide and deposit invoicing. More on the InvoiceQuickly blog, and how to write an invoice. Start free.