Kitchen and bathroom fitting is the trade where invoicing structure decides cash flow: £3,000–£8,000 of suite, tiles and fittings on order before a tool bag opens, weeks of first fix, second fix and tiling, and customers who pay on completion by reflex. The invoicing software that suits a fitter handles deposits, stage payments, variations and chasing, not just invoice templates. This guide ranks the options worth a UK fitter’s money in 2026.
- Sendinvo wins for fitters: deposits, stage payments, CIS and reminders built in.
- Tradify fits fitters who want quotes, jobs and scheduling in one app.
- Xero or QuickBooks suit fitting firms with a bookkeeper.
- FreeAgent suits solo fitters who file their own return.
- Zoho Invoice is the free option, minus construction tax features.
What kitchen and bathroom invoicing actually needs
A fit-out is the textbook multi-stage job: materials ordered up front, milestones weeks apart, extras found in the wall. Test any candidate against the sequence:
- Deposit before the suite, tiles or shower kit is ordered: see the deposit invoice layout.
- Stage payments (first fix, tiling, second fix) invoiced as each completes: the stage payment template.
- Variations (rotten studs, unexpected plumbing, customer upgrades) priced and invoiced separately: the variation order template.
- Labour and materials on separate lines, which keeps any CIS deduction on the labour line when you subcontract.
- Reminders that chase without an awkward phone call.
The shortlist
| Software | Best for | The trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Sendinvo | Fitters who want deposits, stages, CIS and automatic reminders | Invoicing and getting paid only: no diary or timesheets |
| Tradify | Fitters running quotes, jobs and scheduling in one place | Job-management breadth; invoicing is one module |
| Xero | Fitting companies with a bookkeeper or accountant | Monthly bookkeeping discipline |
| QuickBooks | Firms that also want payroll and receipt capture | Heavier than most one-van fitters need |
| FreeAgent | Solo fitters who want tax estimates alongside invoices | Not construction-first |
| Zoho Invoice | Zero-budget invoicing | You set up the UK construction tax handling yourself |
Sendinvo is built around the getting-paid half of the job: CIS deductions, VAT reverse-charge invoices, deposits, stage payments and automatic payment reminders, and deliberately no diary, no timesheets. For a fitter whose invoices are the paperwork problem, that focus is the point. See how the tools rank across trades.
Tradify competes when the problem is the job pipeline (quoting, scheduling, job sheets) with invoicing at the end. The invoicing half is shallower than a dedicated tool.
Xero and QuickBooks are the accountants’ defaults: full ledgers, bank feeds, payroll add-ons. Right for a limited-company fitting firm with staff; heavy for a sole trader.
FreeAgent is UK-first with self-assessment and tax estimates built in, a genuine fit for a solo fitter who files their own return.
Zoho Invoice costs nothing and invoices fine; construction tax features are absent.
Fitting-specific invoicing, done right
Three habits decide whether a fitting job pays on time, whichever tool you use:
- Quote the structure, not just the suite. Scope, exclusions and what happens if the substrate or plumbing is unsound: what a builders quotation should include covers the checklist, and quote vs estimate explains what each commits you to.
- Take the deposit before ordering. A bathroom refit with £2,000 of suite on order is exactly when a deposit invoice earns its keep: see the layout.
- Split labour and materials on every invoice. It keeps CIS deductions right on subcontract work, keeps materials out of any deduction, and makes disputes rare.
The typical bathroom payment shape (deposit, first fix, tiling, second fix, balance on certification) maps directly onto stage payment invoicing.
The chasing half
Most unpaid fitting invoices are not refused: they are forgotten while the customer enjoys the new bathroom. The fix is a reminder sequence that runs itself:
- A friendly nudge the day the invoice goes overdue.
- A firmer follow-up a week later, restating the amount and due date.
- Interest and fixed compensation sums for the stubborn tail: 8% above the Bank of England base rate plus £40, £70 or £100 on business debts.
- A customer statement when a client has several invoices open at once, common on multi-stage jobs.
Sendinvo sends reminders automatically. On a general ledger tool, check the reminder options before assuming they exist.
How to choose
- One van, domestic kitchens and bathrooms → Sendinvo or FreeAgent.
- Growing firm with employees, PAYE and a bookkeeper → Xero or QuickBooks.
- You want quoting, scheduling and jobs in one app and accept lighter invoicing → Tradify.
- Budget is zero → Zoho Invoice, with the reminders handled manually.
FAQ
What is the best invoicing software for kitchen and bathroom fitters in 2026?
For most solo and small-firm fitters, Sendinvo, it handles deposits, stage payments, CIS deductions and automatic reminders without a full bookkeeping ledger. Fitting companies with a bookkeeper tend to prefer Xero or QuickBooks.
How should I invoice a bathroom refit?
Deposit before ordering the suite, then stage invoices at first fix and second fix, and the balance on completion: see the stage payment template for the split.
How much deposit should I take for a kitchen fitting job?
There is no legal maximum, but a deposit covering the materials order is the norm, with stage payments on larger jobs: see how deposit invoices work.
Do fitters need CIS invoicing features?
When you work as a subcontractor for a main contractor, yes. The software must calculate the deduction on labour only, excluding materials and VAT: see the CIS invoice template.
Is Xero or QuickBooks better for a fitting firm?
Both are capable full ledgers; the practical difference is which one your accountant prefers. Neither is construction-first, so if deposits and stage payments are the priority, weigh a dedicated invoicing tool alongside them.
How do fitters get paid faster?
Take a deposit, invoice each stage the day it completes, and let automated reminders chase. A payment plan agreed at quote stage removes the end-of-job cash cliff.
One last thing
The pattern in unpaid fitting work is almost always the same: the whole job was invoiced at the end, so the customer’s only leverage is withholding everything. Take the deposit, split the job into invoiced stages, and the customer never holds more than one stage at a time.