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Estimates and invoices for general contractors, from the bid to the final draw.
A remodel or a build runs for weeks or months, and the money moves in stages. The bid, the draws and every change order have to add up to the same number at the end.
By Abrar · Updated · 9 min read
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The short answer
A general contractor's paper has four parts: a bid that names the scope, a payment schedule with one draw per finished phase, a written change order before each change, and lien notices handled as your state requires. Several states cap the deposit and say payments cannot run ahead of the work. InvoiceWren keeps the estimate, the changes, the draws and the payments on one job, and explains the balance line by line.
How a build or remodel runs on paper
The size of the job makes the steps formal. Each one below protects the money you are owed and the money the owner has already paid.
- 1
The inquiry
An owner asks about a remodel, an addition or a build. Write down the address, the scope in the owner's words, the budget they have in mind and the date they want to start.
- 2
The site visit
Walk the site. Write down what exists, what the plans show and what is unknown. Take photos. Note who pulls the permits.
- 3
The bid
Name the scope in terms the owner cannot misread. California's contractor board gives the example that "install some cabinets" invites trouble, and a brand, model, color and quantity does not [1].
- 4
The contract, the schedule and the deposit
A written contract with a payment schedule. In California, a written contract is required for home improvement projects over $500, the down payment is capped at $1,000 or 10 percent, whichever is less, and payments cannot exceed the value of the work performed [1]. New York requires a written contract with a schedule of progress payments showing the amount of each [2].
- 5
The work
Build in phases. Each phase has an end you can point to: framing, rough-in, drywall. Write down when each is done.
- 6
The changes
The owner changes a window, a layout, a finish. Each change is a written change order with its price and its effect on the schedule, signed before the work. California requires it [1], and New York says verbal changes must be added to the written contract [3].
- 7
The draws
Invoice each draw when its phase is done. Show the phase, the amount, the approved changes and what has been paid.
- 8
The final payment and the lien releases
Collect the final payment, and give or collect the lien releases your state expects. Keep the paper from each draw.
Where general contractor paperwork goes wrong
Most of these are about money moving ahead of, or behind, the work.
Changes made on a handshake
"While you are in there, add a window." Work starts. At the end the price is disputed. California requires a written change order signed by the customer and the contractor before the change [1], and the New York Attorney General says any verbal change to the project must be added to the written contract [3].
What to do: A written change order with its price and its effect on the schedule, signed before the work.
A deposit that is too big
In California the down payment cannot be more than $1,000 or 10 percent of the contract price, whichever is less, with an exception for some contractors who have a blanket bond [1]. In Florida, taking more than 10 percent of the contract price as an initial payment on residential work brings duties: applying for permits within 30 days and starting work within 90 days after the permits are issued [4].
What to do: Write a deposit and a draw schedule that fits your state's rule.
Billing ahead of the work
A draw is invoiced before the phase is done. California says payments cannot exceed the value of the work performed [1]. New York requires a schedule of progress payments showing the amount of each [2].
What to do: Name the phase on each draw, and show that it is finished.
The owner cancels after signing at home
California gives the customer three business days to cancel, or five if 65 or older, with a refund within 10 days of the cancellation request, when the contract is negotiated away from the contractor's place of business [1]. New York says the customer has an unconditional right to cancel until midnight of the third business day [3].
What to do: Give the cancellation notice your state requires, with a dated copy. Do not order special materials before the window closes.
An unpaid sub files a lien after the owner paid you
California warns owners that they could be forced to pay twice [1]. Florida requires a notice to owner from lienors other than laborers, served before work or not later than 45 days after starting [5]. Texas, for contracts entered into on or after Jan 01 2022, sets deadlines for residential notices and lien affidavits, and has the owner reserve 10 percent of the contract price during the work and for 30 days after completion [6]. New York sets notice of lien within four months after completion of the contract for a single-family dwelling [7].
What to do: Keep a list of your subs and suppliers. Get a lien release at each draw. Learn your state's notice steps, because each state has more than the lines quoted here.
A contract that says "install cabinets"
A vague scope creates a gap between what the owner pictured and what you priced.
What to do: Name the brand, the model, the color, the quantity and the plan reference. California's contractor board gives this as its own example [1].
What InvoiceWren does for a general contractor
The bid, the schedule, every change order and every draw sit on one job, so the owner and you are looking at the same number.
A bid with the scope in lines
Write each phase and each item as its own line, with the brand, model and quantity. Your customer reads it on their phone and signs it there.
Deposit and progress invoices from the approved estimate
Send a deposit invoice, then a progress invoice for each phase when it is done. The approved estimate carries across, so nothing is typed twice.
Change orders signed before the work
The owner changes the layout? Send a change order with the price. They approve it on their phone before you start, and a change that is waiting is never counted as approved.
A balance that is explained
The final invoice shows the estimate, each approved change and each payment, line by line, so the balance is never a guess.
Saved items for what you quote every month
Save "permit fee, passed through", "demolition and haul-away" and "per-sq-ft framing". The next bid takes a tap per line.
Photos on the line they belong to
Add up to 3 photos to a line. The open wall and the old wiring sit beside the change that prices them.
The client portal for the whole job
Your customer opens one page for the job: every document, every payment and your messages. They do not need an account.
Jobs · Estimates and approval · Change orders · Deposits, progress and final invoices
Need a document right now? Make a free estimate or a free invoice with no sign-up, then bring the job into InvoiceWren when you are ready.
Rules to check, by state
Contractor rules are set by each state, and lien rules have many steps. These are examples from official pages we read on Nov 13 2026. They are not every rule. Check yours.
- California: a license is needed for a project that needs a building permit, for work that uses employees, and for work valued at $1,000 or more in combined labor and materials. General engineering and building contractors usually oversee projects and coordinate the specific licensed subcontractors [8].
- California: the contractor board's guide says a written contract is required for home improvement over $500, a written change order is required for a price change, the down payment is the lesser of $1,000 or 10 percent of the price, and payments cannot exceed the value of the work performed. The customer can cancel within three business days, or five if 65 or older [1]. The guide asks that the contract name specifics, such as a brand, model and color, in place of "install some cabinets" [1].
- New York: a home improvement contract must be in writing, in plain English, signed by all the parties, with a schedule of progress payments showing the amount of each. The owner may cancel until midnight of the third business day [2]. Home improvement contractors must be licensed in New York City and in Suffolk, Nassau, Westchester, Putnam and Rockland counties [3].
- Florida: taking more than 10 percent of the contract price as an initial payment on residential work brings duties to apply for permits within 30 days and start work within 90 days after permits are issued, with exceptions [4]. A notice to owner is required from lienors other than laborers, served before work or not later than 45 days after starting [5].
- Texas: for contracts entered into on or after Jan 01 2022, HB 2237 sets deadlines for residential notices and lien affidavits, and has the owner reserve 10 percent of the contract price during the work and for 30 days after completion [6]. We did not read a Texas page on contractor licensing.
- New York: Lien Law section 10 provides for a notice of lien within four months after completion of the contract for a single-family dwelling [7].
This is general information, not legal or tax advice. Lien rules have more steps than the lines quoted here. Ask a lawyer in your state before you rely on a deadline.
Checklist
Questions
Do I need a license to be a general contractor?
It depends on the state. California requires a license for work valued at $1,000 or more in combined labor and materials, for any project that needs a building permit, or when employees are used [8]. New York requires a home improvement license in New York City and five counties [3]. Check yours.
How big a deposit can I ask for?
In California, no more than $1,000 or 10 percent of the contract price, whichever is less [1]. In Florida, taking more than 10 percent as an initial payment on residential work brings duties to get permits and start work on time [4]. Check your state.
Do I need a written change order for every change?
California's home improvement contract rules require it in writing, signed before the change [1], and in New York verbal changes must be added to the written contract [3]. In InvoiceWren you send the change order, and the owner approves it on their phone.
How should I invoice progress payments?
Invoice each draw when its phase is done, and name the phase. California says payments cannot exceed the value of the work performed [1]. In InvoiceWren you send a progress invoice from the approved estimate.
Can the owner cancel after they sign?
In California within three business days, or five if the owner is 65 or older, when the contract is negotiated away from your place of business [1]. In New York until midnight of the third business day [3].
What is a mechanics lien and how do I avoid one?
It is a claim on the property by someone who was not paid, such as a subcontractor or a supplier. California warns that owners could be forced to pay twice [1]. Pay your subs, collect lien releases at each draw, and learn your state's notice steps.
Does the owner hold back part of my payment?
In some states. For contracts entered into on or after Jan 01 2022, Texas has the owner reserve 10 percent of the contract price during the work and for 30 days after completion [6]. Check whether your state has a similar rule.
What should a bid include?
The scope in terms that cannot be misread, with the brand, model, color and quantity where they matter, a payment schedule, who pulls the permits, and the start and end dates [1].
Should I use a job record for the whole build?
Yes. In InvoiceWren, one job holds the estimate, every change order, every progress invoice and every payment, so the balance is always explained line by line.
Send your next estimate from the job.
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Sources
- California Contractors State License Board: Terms of Agreement, A Consumer Guide to Home Improvement Contracts. Checked .
- New York General Business Law, section 771. Checked .
- New York State Attorney General: Home Improvement Fact Sheet. Checked .
- Florida Statutes, section 489.126: Moneys received by contractors. Checked .
- Florida Statutes, section 713.06: Liens of persons not in privity. Checked .
- Texas Legislature: HB 2237, 87th Legislature (enrolled text). Checked .
- New York Lien Law, section 10. Checked .
- California Contractors State License Board: What Kind of Contractor Do You Need?. Checked .
Prices and features change. We check these pages before each update. If something here is out of date, tell us at hello@invoicewren.com and we will fix it.