For builders, renovators and handymen
Quotations and invoices for contractors and builders
Win the job with a clear quotation, take the deposit before you buy materials, and invoice each stage as it is done. Rebill turns an accepted quote into an invoice, so you never retype a line.
No account needed for the generator. Free plan, Premium R99 a month. Built in Cape Town.
Sample quote
Bathroom renovation, Randburg
| Item | Qty | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Site preparation and demolition Remove existing bathroom fittings and tiles | 1 × R6,500.00 | R6,500.00 |
| Labour, plumbing and tiling Two-person team, per day | 5 × R3,800.00 | R19,000.00 |
| Materials: tiles, adhesive, grout Supplied at cost, receipts on request | 1 × R14,200.00 | R14,200.00 |
| Rubble removal One skip | 1 × R1,950.00 | R1,950.00 |
| Total | R41,650.00 | |
50% deposit on acceptance to order materials, balance on completion. Quote valid for 30 days.
A bathroom renovation, quoted line by line
The sample quote above is the kind a small renovation team sends after a site visit: demolition, five days of labour for a two-person team, materials at cost and a skip for the rubble. Splitting materials from labour shows the client where the money goes, and the deposit note at the bottom tells them what they pay before you start. Open the free quote generator and these lines are already filled in for you to change.
Figures are examples, not a rate card. For context: ProCompare: bathroom renovation prices in South Africa.
Take the deposit before you buy the materials
The most expensive mistake on a small job is paying for R14,000 of tiles out of your own pocket and then waiting a month for the client. Put the deposit on the quotation itself, as a percentage or a fixed amount, and say plainly that work starts once it is paid. When the client accepts, invoice the deposit the same day and send it with a payment link, so they can pay by card while you are still on site.
Keep receipts for the materials. If a client queries the materials line, a receipt settles it in a minute, and if you are VAT registered you need the supplier's tax invoice to claim the VAT back.
Invoice in stages on longer jobs
A two-week renovation does not have to be paid in one lump at the end. Agree the stages on the quote, for example deposit, completion of plumbing and tiling, and final handover, and send a progress invoice at each one. Each invoice shows what has been paid so far and what is still owed, which keeps both sides honest about the balance.
- Deposit on acceptance, to order materials.
- Progress invoice when the rough work is done and inspected.
- Final invoice on handover, less everything already paid.
Variations: the extra work that never gets paid
Halfway through, the client asks for a niche in the shower wall or a different tile. Agreeing it with a nod is how contractors end up arguing about money at handover. Send a short variation quote for the extra, priced on its own, and let the client accept it before you start. Rebill keeps the accepted variation on record, and you add it to the next invoice.
Getting paid without chasing
Proof of payment screenshots are easy to fake, so wait for the money to clear before you release the next stage. A payment link removes the doubt: the client pays by card through Paystack, Yoco, PayFast or iKhokha, the payment lands in your gateway account and Rebill marks the invoice paid. If a client goes quiet, automatic reminders follow up by WhatsApp or email so you do not have to make the awkward call.
What contractors use in Rebill
Quotes, invoices and the client portal are on the free plan. Recurring invoices, WhatsApp delivery, card payment links and automatic reminders are on Premium, R99 a month.
- Quotes clients accept online
- Send the quote by WhatsApp or email. The client accepts with one click and you convert it into an invoice without retyping a line.
- Deposits on quotes and invoices
- Ask for a fixed amount or a percentage up front. The balance carries through to the final invoice so nothing is billed twice.
- Purchase orders to suppliers
- Raise a purchase order for the tiles and fittings, and turn it into an expense when the delivery arrives.
- Card payments on site
- A Paystack, Yoco, PayFast or iKhokha link on the invoice lets the client pay before you pack up. Money settles in your own account.
VAT for small building contractors
Most one-team contractors are not VAT registered, and that is fine: send a normal invoice and charge no VAT. Registration is compulsory once taxable supplies pass R2.3 million in 12 months, and you may register voluntarily from R120,000. Once registered, VAT applies to the whole job, materials included, and the VAT on your supplier invoices comes back to you.
What a tax invoice must show: the SARS section 20 fields. Thresholds as SARS applies them from 1 April 2026, while the law change is finalised.
Questions contractors ask
How much deposit should a contractor ask for in South Africa?
Should I send a quotation or an estimate?
How do I bill for extra work the client asks for halfway through?
Do I charge VAT on materials?
Can a client pay the deposit by card?
Also see invoicing for plumbers and electricians, garden service quotes and how Rebill works.
Quote the next job tonight
The free quote generator needs no account. When the client says yes, Rebill is ready to invoice the deposit.