Your terms and conditions, in plain English

When payment is due

Payment is due within 14 days of the invoice date.

Why this matters A number in writing is what a late fee or a reminder actually hangs off. Without one, “overdue” has no start date.

When to use it Use it on every job.

See also: Net 30 (Payment Terms)

How you can pay

Payment is accepted by bank transfer, card, or cash. [Add or remove methods to match what you actually take.]

Why this matters Stating what you take avoids the client turning up with a cheque, or a card, when you only do transfers.

When to use it Use it whenever you take more than one payment method.

What happens if payment is late

Invoices unpaid past the due date are subject to a late fee of 1.5% per month on the outstanding balance.

Why this matters A fee agreed to in advance is a term. The same fee mentioned for the first time on a reminder reads as a penalty made up on the spot.

When to use it Skip it if you would rather handle late payment case by case. A stated fee only holds up if you will apply it.

See also: Late Payment Fee

Partial payments

A partial payment is applied to the oldest outstanding balance first, unless agreed otherwise in writing.

Why this matters Without a rule, a part payment from a client with two open invoices is a guess. Which invoice does it cover?

When to use it Use it if you ever let a client pay a large invoice in more than one instalment.

Invoicing for longer jobs

For jobs running longer than a few weeks, invoices are issued at agreed stages rather than as one bill at the end.

Why this matters One invoice at the end of a long job means you pay for the client’s project until it ends.

When to use it Use it on anything that runs more than a couple of weeks; skip it on a same-day or same-week job.

Deposit to hold your date

A deposit of 25% is due before work is scheduled; the date is confirmed once it’s paid.

Why this matters A deposit tied to a real date gives a slow-to-pay client a reason to move. A deposit tied to a vague “starting” does not.

When to use it Use it on any job with a fixed start date worth protecting.

See also: Deposit vs. Retainer

If you cancel after paying

The deposit is non-refundable if you cancel less than 2 days before the scheduled start.

Why this matters A date you turned other work away for has a real cost if the client cancels late. The deposit covers that cost. It is not a penalty for a change of plans.

When to use it Use it once your schedule is tight enough that a late cancellation costs you other work.

If we have to cancel

If work can’t go ahead for reasons on our side, the deposit is refunded in full.

Why this matters The non-refundable clause only reads as fair if it points both ways.

When to use it Pair it with the clause above. Read the two together.

Balance due

The remaining balance is due on completion, unless a different schedule is agreed in writing.

Why this matters Sets the default for every job that isn’t explicitly staged, so “when’s the rest due” is answered before anyone asks.

When to use it Use it on every job that takes a deposit.

Deposits that cover materials

Where a deposit is specifically for materials, it is spent on those materials and is non-refundable once they’re ordered.

Why this matters It separates “I changed my mind” from “you already bought the tile”. You should not absorb the second cost.

When to use it Use it on jobs where you order client-specific materials before work starts.

How long the quote stands

This quote is valid for 30 days from the issue date; after that, the price may need to be revisited.

Why this matters Without an expiry date, a client can return six months later and expect a price that material costs have passed.

When to use it Use it on every quote, especially anything with material costs that move.

See also: Quote vs. Estimate

The price assumes the scope described

This price is based on the scope described above; anything not listed is not included.

Why this matters Disputes most often start when a client thinks the price covers something you never quoted.

When to use it Use it on every quote.

See also: Scope of Work

If material costs move before we start

If material costs rise by more than 10% between the quote date and the start of work, the price may be adjusted to reflect it.

Why this matters It protects a quote with a long lead time. If supplier prices change, you do not lose money or write a new quote.

When to use it Use it on jobs booked more than a few weeks out, or on materials with volatile pricing.

Provisional sums

Any item marked as a provisional sum is an estimate only; the final cost is confirmed once the actual work or materials are known.

Why this matters It lets you quote what you cannot price yet. Examples are what is behind a wall or what a permit will cost. You do not guess and absorb the difference.

When to use it Skip it if every line on your quotes is a firm, known price.

Whether the price includes tax

Prices shown [include / exclude — delete whichever doesn’t apply] tax.

Why this matters Fill in one bracket once. It prevents the hardest talk on the list: the final number is bigger than the one the client agreed to.

When to use it Use it on every quote. Keep the bracket that is true and delete the other.

Extra work gets its own price

Anything outside the scope described above is treated as extra work and quoted separately before it starts.

Why this matters It sets the rule before an extra exists to argue about. That is the easiest time to agree on it.

When to use it Use it on every quote.

See also: Change Order (Variation)

What counts as approval

Extra work only goes ahead once it’s approved in writing — a text or an email reply is enough; a verbal yes on site is not.

Why this matters A verbal yes is easy to remember two different ways once there’s an invoice attached to it. A text isn’t.

When to use it Use it whenever extra work is possible. That is most jobs.

Problems found once work starts

If we find a hidden defect or a pre-existing problem once work is underway, we’ll stop and tell you, and any extra cost is quoted for your approval before we carry on.

Why this matters It covers rot behind a wall or wiring that is not up to code. Nobody could quote for these, because nobody could see them yet.

When to use it Use it on any job that opens up something you can’t fully inspect in advance.

What’s explicitly not included

This quote does not include [permits, painting, disposal — list what’s excluded].

Why this matters People assume some things are “part of the job”. Name those things as excluded, in writing, before anyone assumes them.

When to use it Use it whenever a job borders on work you don’t do.

Access you need to provide

You’ll need to provide reasonable access to the site, plus power and water, on the day — unless we’ve agreed otherwise.

Why this matters A job cannot start if a gate is locked or the power is off. That delay is the client’s, not yours. This clause says so.

When to use it Use it on any job done at the client’s property.

Parking and permits

Any parking costs or permits needed to complete the work are your responsibility, unless we’ve agreed otherwise.

Why this matters A city job with metered parking or a permit fee can take a large part of your margin. Say at the start whose cost it is.

When to use it Use it on jobs in areas where parking or permits matter. Skip it if they never do.

If we’re kept waiting

Waiting time on your end — no access, nobody home, the work area not ready — is charged after the first 1 hour(s), at the standard rate.

Why this matters Your time waiting on someone else’s door is time you can’t bill anywhere else that day.

When to use it Use it if a client no-show or delay has ever actually cost you time.

Rescheduling notice

Rescheduling a booked job needs at least 2 days’ notice; less than that may incur a fee.

Why this matters You probably cannot fill a slot that a client cancels at the last minute. The notice period gives you a fair chance to fill it.

When to use it Use it once your schedule is tight enough that a late reschedule costs you something.

No-show fee

A missed appointment with no notice at all is charged a no-show fee.

Why this matters This differs from a late reschedule. It is for the appointment that nobody warned you was off.

When to use it Use it if a client has ever simply not been there when you turned up.

When ownership passes

Materials and goods supplied remain the property of [your business] until they are paid for in full.

Why this matters This is standard retention-of-title wording. You stay the legal owner of what you fit until the client pays the invoice.

When to use it Use it on jobs where you supply materials of any real value.

Workmanship guarantee

We guarantee our workmanship for 12 months from completion. That covers defects in the work itself, not wear and tear, misuse, or work someone else carried out afterward.

Why this matters A guarantee with an end date and a scope is easier to stand behind. An unwritten “I will sort it if it breaks” is not.

When to use it Use it on any job where bad workmanship, rather than bad materials, is the real risk.

What the guarantee doesn’t cover

The guarantee doesn’t cover materials you supplied, pre-existing conditions, or damage from normal wear.

Why this matters Pairs with the guarantee clause above so “guaranteed” doesn’t quietly turn into “guaranteed against everything, forever”.

When to use it Use it alongside the workmanship guarantee, not on its own.

Materials you supply

Materials you supply are used as provided, and we can’t guarantee they’re fit for the job.

Why this matters If the tile the client bought is the wrong grade for the job, that is not a workmanship problem. This clause says so.

When to use it Use it whenever a client wants to supply their own materials.

Storing materials on site

Materials or tools left on site between visits are at your risk, unless we’ve arranged something specific.

Why this matters It covers the gap between visits on a multi-day job. You cannot control what happens to items left in a garage or yard.

When to use it Use it on multi-day jobs where anything gets left on site overnight.

Photos for a portfolio

We may use photos of the finished work in a portfolio or in marketing, unless you tell us in writing that you’d rather we didn’t.

Why this matters An opt-out default gives you a usable photo library from normal jobs. It also respects a client who would rather you did not. Examples are a rental property or a client who values privacy.

When to use it Use it if you ever post before/after photos anywhere.

What happens to your details

Your details are used only to carry out and invoice this job. We never sell them or pass them to anyone else.

Why this matters A one-line privacy promise costs nothing. Say it plainly instead of leaving it unsaid.

When to use it Use it on every job.

Asking for a review

We may ask you for a review once the job is done. We won’t offer you anything in exchange for one.

Why this matters Most review platforms ban paid reviews. So this rule is less a legal formality than a note to your future self.

When to use it Use it if you ever ask clients for reviews.

How long records are kept

We keep job and invoice records for [how long — e.g. 7 years] for tax and warranty purposes.

Why this matters It ties back to the workmanship guarantee above. You can only enforce a guarantee if you can still find its invoice.

When to use it Use it if you want a written answer ready for “do you still have my invoice from two years ago?”.