Some jobs cannot be priced up front. Old houses, troubleshooting, and repairs where you do not know what is behind the drywall are all good fits for time and materials billing: you charge for the hours worked and the materials used.
Agree on the rates first
Before you start, put your hourly rate, any helper rate, and your material markup in writing. If the customer wants a ceiling, agree on a not-to-exceed amount and say you will check in before you pass it.
Log hours by day
One line that says 22 hours invites questions. A line for each day with the hours and a short note on what got done answers them before they are asked.
List materials with quantities
Each material gets its own line: what it is, how many, and the price. Keep your supplier receipts in case the customer asks. Clear material lines are the difference between a bill that gets paid and one that gets picked apart.
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