Question 1

What should a plumber's invoice include?

Accepted Answer

Service call fee (or trip charge), labor (hourly or flat-rate), parts with markup, any emergency/after-hours premium, warranty terms, and inspection notes. Residential customers expect to see the diagnosis ("replaced kitchen-sink P-trap; corroded threads"), parts itemized, and labor time. Commercial property managers prefer flat-rate billing with one consolidated description.

Question 2

Hourly vs flat-rate billing — which is better?

Accepted Answer

Flat-rate (book pricing from Profit Rhino, Service Titan, or your own price book) wins on most service calls because the customer knows the cost upfront. Hourly works for unknown-scope work (slab leaks, sewer line repairs, multi-day remodels). Many plumbers use both: flat-rate for diagnosable jobs, T&M for digging or anything that turns out worse than expected once opened.

Question 3

How much can I mark up parts?

Accepted Answer

Industry-standard markup on plumbing parts is 30–100% over wholesale, with 50% being the common middle. Some markets and parts justify more (specialty fixtures, low-volume manufacturer parts) and some less (PVC/CPVC, basic fittings — high-volume items where cost is well-known). State the part description and price on the invoice; customers don't need to see your wholesale cost, but they want to see what part was used.

Question 4

How do I handle emergency / after-hours calls?

Accepted Answer

Standard premium structures: 1.5x labor for evenings/weekends, 2x for overnight (10pm-6am) and major holidays. Some plumbers charge a flat "emergency dispatch fee" ($150-$300) on top of regular rates. Whatever your structure, list the premium as its own line item — "After-hours premium (+50% labor)" — so the customer sees what's elevated and why.

Question 5

Should I include a warranty on the invoice?

Accepted Answer

Yes, every time. State both the parts warranty (typically the manufacturer's 1-year residential warranty) and the labor warranty (industry standard is 30-90 days for service work, 1 year for installations). Specify what voids it (DIY repair, freezing, abuse). A clear warranty statement reduces callback disputes and signals professionalism. Issueable's terms section is the right place.

Question 6

Do plumbers charge sales tax?

Accepted Answer

Depends on your state. Most states tax materials but not labor on residential repair work. Some states tax both for new construction. Texas, for example, taxes all plumbing work. California exempts most labor on residential repair. Issueable supports two tax lines (state + city) so you can apply tax correctly to the parts line and exclude labor where your state allows it.

Question 7

How should I document permits and inspections?

Accepted Answer

List permits as a discrete line item with the actual fee ("Building permit per City of [X]: $187 — at cost"). For inspection-required work, note in the terms that work is contingent on passing final inspection. If the customer is pulling the permit themselves (sometimes the case for owner-builder situations), state explicitly: "Permit pulled by owner." Permit confusion is a common source of post-job disputes; be explicit.

Question 8

When should I require payment — at the job site or via invoice?

Accepted Answer

Service calls: payment at completion, before leaving (cash, check, card via Square or Stripe Reader). Larger installations and remodels: deposit at scheduling, progress payments, final payment on completion. Long-tail commercial customers can be invoiced net-30, but require a signed work authorization first. Issueable supports both flows — issue at-job invoices on a phone for service work, or formal multi-line invoices for installations.

Plumber Invoice Template

Built for the Trade

Service Call + Parts + Labor

Emergency Premiums Itemized

Warranty + Permit Built In

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Plumber Invoice FAQ