Service calls are where a lot of contractors quietly lose money. The job takes forty minutes, the customer is standing right there, and it feels awkward to bill for the drive. But the drive, the truck, and your time getting there are real costs. A clear service call invoice covers them without an argument.
Split the bill into three lines
- Service call fee. A flat charge for showing up and diagnosing the problem. Tell the customer this amount when they book.
- Labor. The time spent on the actual repair, by the hour or as a flat rate for the task.
- Parts. Each part on its own line with quantity and price, so nothing looks padded.
Say the fee before you arrive
Disputes over service fees almost always come from surprise. Put the fee in the booking text or call, and repeat it in the notes on the invoice. If the fee gets credited toward the repair when they approve the work, say that too. Customers accept a fee they heard about up front.
Bill before you pull out of the driveway
Small jobs are the easiest ones to forget. Build the invoice on your phone while the customer is still there, text them the pay link, and let them pay by card on the spot. A forty-minute job should not become a forty-day receivable.
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