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Demolition Contractor Invoice Template

A demolition invoice is checked by people who were not on site: the owner's project manager, a lender's inspector or the general contractor's accounts team. They need to see what came down (structure type, size and scope), on what basis you are billing (lump sum, unit rates or time and materials), the regulatory steps that had to happen first (asbestos inspection, notification, permits, utility disconnects), and the variable costs that make demolition jobs move: machine hours, loads hauled, tons disposed and any salvage credit. Use this template for a lump-sum building demolition, selective or interior strip-out, or a progress invoice on a larger job. The download is an editable HTML file with the invoice header, a description, quantity, rate and amount table, and demolition fields for the site and permit, structure, scope, contract basis, asbestos inspection and notification, abatement, equipment and crew hours, loads and tonnage, disposal tickets, salvage, change orders, payments and retainage, and lien waivers. Fill it in your browser, then print it or save it as PDF.

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Download the HTML file to edit its fields, then print or save as PDF. Totals are entered manually.

What This Template Includes

  • Job site address and demolition permit number
  • Structure type, size and stories
  • Scope: full, interior or selective demolition
  • Contract basis: lump sum, unit rates or time and materials
  • Asbestos inspection report and notification reference
  • Hazardous material abatement: by whom, with reference
  • Equipment and operator hours by machine
  • Crew labour hours
  • Debris loads, container size and tonnage
  • Disposal fees at cost, with scale ticket numbers
  • Salvage or scrap credit
  • Change orders with number and approval date
  • Deposit, progress payments and retainage held
  • Lien waiver to be provided on payment

How to Create Your Demolition Contractor Invoice

  1. 01

    Describe your work

    Type a plain English description of the services you provided, the client, and the amount.

  2. 02

    AI generates your invoice

    InvoiceQuickly's AI drafts the client, line items, dates, and totals for you to review before saving.

  3. 03

    Review, download, and send

    Check every detail, download the PDF, or use Pro to email the PDF directly to your client.

Recommended Payment Terms

Small lump-sum jobs are often billed with a deposit at signing and the balance on completion, net 15 or net 30. Larger jobs are billed monthly or by stage (abatement cleared, structure down, slab and footings out, site graded), with retainage withheld if the contract says so. Deposit limits apply in some states for residential work: in California, for example, a home improvement down payment may not exceed $1,000 or 10% of the contract price, whichever is less. Agree in the contract how disposal is billed (included, per load or at cost with tickets) and how change orders are priced, because both move the final number. If your state uses statutory lien waiver forms (California does), exchange conditional and unconditional waivers in that form as payments are made.

Need help writing payment terms? Read our guide to invoice payment terms for best practices and templates.

Tax Information

Sales and use tax on demolition depends on the state: some states tax certain construction or demolition services, and others tax only materials the contractor buys. Check your state revenue department's guidance before adding tax. InvoiceQuickly applies one tax percentage to the whole invoice, so if part of a job is taxable and part is not, bill them on separate invoices. It copies saved business and client tax IDs to new invoice PDFs; if your state requires your contractor licence number on contracts or invoices, put it in the notes. Asbestos inspection, notification and abatement are regulatory steps, not tax items; the industry context below summarises the federal rule. This is general information, not tax or legal advice.

Industry context (2026)

Federal asbestos rules decide what has to happen, and be paid for, before a commercial building comes down. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's overview of the asbestos National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP, 40 CFR Part 61 Subpart M; page last updated 22 December 2025) says the regulations require a thorough inspection where the demolition or renovation will occur, and that the owner or operator must notify the appropriate delegated entity, often a state agency, before any demolition; the notification requirements apply to any demolition and to renovations above a threshold amount of regulated asbestos-containing material. The work practice requirements exclude residential buildings with four or fewer dwelling units, but not residential structures demolished as part of a commercial or public project such as urban renewal or a highway project. EPA's guidance on less-than-10-day notifications explains that notification generally has to be given at least 10 business days before work begins. If regulated material is present above 260 linear feet, 160 square feet or 35 cubic feet off facility components, it generally has to be removed before demolition. For the invoice, that means inspection, notification and any abatement are distinct, documented steps, often by different firms, and each should be traceable to a report or reference rather than buried in the demolition price. State and local agencies may impose additional rules.

Worked example

Ridgeback Demolition LLC demolishes a vacant one-story wood-frame retail building (2,400 sq ft, slab on grade) at 1180 Ash Street for a developer, under proposal P-112 with stated unit rates. The asbestos inspection found no regulated asbestos-containing material above the removal thresholds, and the notification went to the state agency before work began. Final invoice INV-0317, issued 30 October 2026, net 15. Line 1: pre-demolition asbestos inspection by an accredited inspector, report AS-2291, at cost, 1 x $1,150.00. Line 2: demolition permit D-26-0418, fee at cost, 1 x $640.00. Line 3: mobilization, perimeter fencing and erosion control, 1 x $2,400.00. Line 4: structure demolition, 2,400 sq ft, one story, lump sum, 1 x $14,800.00. Line 5: excavator with hydraulic breaker and operator, slab and footing removal, 18 h x $185.00 = $3,330.00. Line 6: debris hauling, 40-yard roll-off containers, 9 loads x $520.00 = $4,680.00. Line 7: C&D disposal at cost, 61.4 tons on scale tickets 55102 to 55110, $3,868.20 less scrap steel credit $612.00 = 1 x $3,256.20. Line 8: backfill and rough grade, 1 x $2,150.00. Line 9: CO-1, approved 9 October 2026, remove concrete loading dock not shown on the drawings, 1 x $1,850.00. Total: $1,150.00 + $640.00 + $2,400.00 + $14,800.00 + $3,330.00 + $4,680.00 + $3,256.20 + $2,150.00 + $1,850.00 = $34,256.20, no sales tax on the assumption that these services are not taxable in the contractor's state. The $3,160.00 deposit paid at signing is recorded as a partial payment, so the balance due is $31,096.20. The notes say an unconditional lien waiver will be provided once the balance clears. The rates are the example's contract rates, not market data.

Common mistakes to avoid

One lump sum with no breakdown on a variable job

If the contract has unit rates for machine hours, loads or tons, a single total forces the client to ask for your logs. Show quantities and rates for every variable item.

Hiding disposal in the demolition line

Disposal is often the most disputed number. Bill it on its own line with tons and ticket numbers, or state clearly that it is included in the lump sum.

Starting extra work without a change order

Buried tanks, extra slab or a loading dock not on the drawings are common. Get written approval, give it a number and invoice it on its own line with the approval date.

Skipping the regulatory references

On commercial jobs, an invoice without the asbestos inspection report or permit number leaves the owner unsure the job was done properly. Add the references to the relevant lines.

Ignoring deposit and retainage terms

Some states cap deposits on residential work, and contracts often set retainage. Bill only what the contract and the law allow, and show amounts held on every progress invoice.

Invoicing Tips

  • 1Put the asbestos inspection report number and the notification reference on the invoice for commercial jobs. It shows the owner the regulatory steps were done and ties your inspection line to a document.
  • 2Bill disposal at cost with scale ticket numbers and total tons, unless your contract includes disposal in the price. Owners and GCs often ask for the tickets before paying.
  • 3Show salvage or scrap credit openly. InvoiceQuickly line amounts cannot be negative, so net the credit inside a line and write the arithmetic in the description, as in the example.
  • 4Give each machine its own line with hours and rate (for example 'excavator with hydraulic breaker, 18 h'). A single 'equipment' line invites a request for your logs.
  • 5Number change orders and include the approval date on the line. Hidden tanks, extra slab or undocumented basements are common in demolition and are easier to collect on when documented the day they are found.
  • 6Record the deposit as a partial payment in InvoiceQuickly; there is no deposit field. For retainage, show the amount held and the running total in the notes.
  • 7Keep site photos, permits and disposal tickets in your own job file. InvoiceQuickly does not attach files to outbound invoices.

Related Resources

Frequently Asked Questions

What should a demolition invoice include?

Your business and the client's details, invoice number, dates and terms, then the job site and permit number, structure and scope, contract basis, inspection and permit costs, demolition work, equipment and crew hours, debris loads and tonnage, disposal at cost with ticket numbers, any salvage credit, change orders, deposit and progress payments received, retainage held and the balance due.

How do demolition contractors bill disposal?

Either included in a lump sum, per load or container at an agreed rate, or at cost from the landfill or transfer station's scale tickets. Whichever you choose, state it in the contract and show loads, container size and tons on the invoice, with ticket numbers when billing at cost.

Do I need an asbestos inspection before demolition?

For buildings covered by the federal asbestos NESHAP, yes. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says the regulations require a thorough inspection where the demolition will occur and written notification to the delegated agency, often a state agency, before any demolition, generally at least 10 working days ahead. Residential buildings with four or fewer dwelling units are excluded unless demolished as part of a commercial or public project. State and local rules may add requirements.

How do I show scrap or salvage credit?

As a visible reduction tied to the material, for example 'less scrap steel credit $612.00'. If your invoicing tool does not allow negative lines, net it inside the related line and write out the arithmetic, so the client can see both the gross cost and the credit.

Should demolition invoices include retainage?

Only if the contract provides for it. On progress-billed jobs, show the gross amount for the period, the retainage withheld and the net due on each invoice, plus the total retainage held to date, then invoice the released retainage at the end.

Can I create demolition invoices in InvoiceQuickly?

Yes. Type or say what to bill and InvoiceQuickly drafts an editable invoice for you to review, with up to 100 lines, one tax percentage and one discount percentage. You can record deposits and partial payments on every plan. Pro adds estimates the client accepts in a portal, email delivery and Stripe or PayPal payment links. It has no progress-billing, retainage or lien-waiver feature, no negative lines and no attachments, so use notes and net lines as described above.