Roofing work bills in awkward shapes: jobs priced after a scaffold goes up, materials that swing with the merchant’s price list, extras discovered under the tiles, and customers who want a quote before anyone climbs a ladder. The invoicing software that suits a roofer handles deposits, staged bills, variations and chasing, not just pretty invoices. This guide ranks the options worth a UK roofer’s money in 2026.
- Sendinvo wins for roofers: deposits, stage payments, variations and reminders.
- Tradify fits roofers who want quotes, jobs and scheduling in one app.
- Xero or QuickBooks suit roofing companies with a bookkeeper.
- FreeAgent suits solo roofers who file their own return.
- Zoho Invoice is the free option, minus construction tax features.
What roofing invoicing actually needs
A roofing job is rarely a single invoice, so test any candidate against the sequence:
- Deposits before scaffolding or materials are ordered: see the deposit invoice layout.
- Stage payments on larger re-roofs and flat-roof jobs: the stage payment template shows the split.
- Extras discovered mid-job (rotten battens, failed felt, structural repairs) priced and invoiced as variations: the variation order template shows the wording.
- Labour and materials on separate lines, so any CIS deduction is calculated on labour only: see the worked deduction example.
- Reminders that chase without the awkward phone call.
The shortlist
| Software | Best for | The trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Sendinvo | Solo roofers and small firms who want deposits, stages, CIS and reminders | Invoicing and getting paid only: no diary or timesheets |
| Tradify | Roofers running quotes, jobs and scheduling in one place | Job-management breadth; invoicing is one module |
| Xero | Roofing companies with a bookkeeper or accountant in the loop | Monthly bookkeeping discipline |
| QuickBooks | Firms that also want payroll and receipt capture | Heavier than most one-van roofers need |
| FreeAgent | Solo roofers 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 roofer 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 roofing firm with staff; heavy for a sole trader on domestic work.
FreeAgent is UK-first with self-assessment and tax estimates built in, a genuine fit for a solo roofer who files their own return.
Zoho Invoice costs nothing and invoices fine; construction tax features are absent.
Roofing-specific invoicing, done right
Three habits decide whether a roofing job pays on time, whichever tool you use:
- Quote the structure, not just the roof. Scope, exclusions and what happens if the deck or battens are unsound: what a builders quotation should include covers the checklist, and quote vs estimate explains what each commits you to.
- Take a deposit before the scaffold goes up. A re-roof with £3,000 of tiles and scaffold hire on order is exactly when a deposit invoice earns its keep.
- Price extras before you fix them. The rotten batten found on day two becomes a dispute at day thirty unless it was confirmed in writing and invoiced as a variation.
If you subcontract to or from a builder, the same CIS mechanics apply: the CIS invoice template shows the deduction on the labour line only.
The chasing half
Most unpaid roofing invoices are not refused: they are forgotten while the customer enjoys the new roof. 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 re-roofs.
Sendinvo sends reminders automatically. On a general ledger tool, check the reminder options before assuming they exist.
How to choose
- One van, domestic re-roofs and repairs → 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 roofers in 2026?
For most solo and small-firm roofers, Sendinvo, it handles deposits, stage payments, CIS deductions and automatic reminders without a full bookkeeping ledger. Roofing companies with a bookkeeper tend to prefer Xero or QuickBooks.
Do roofers 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 for the worked example.
How do I invoice for extras found during a roofing job?
Price the extra, confirm it in writing with the customer, and invoice it as a separate line or variation: see the variation order template. Extras invoiced without written confirmation are the most common roofing dispute.
Can I take a deposit before starting a re-roof?
Yes. There is no legal cap on deposits for building work, but a reasonable proportion (enough to cover scaffold and materials) is the norm. Issue it as a separate invoice before ordering.
Is Xero or QuickBooks better for a roofing company?
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 roofers get paid faster?
Take a deposit, invoice each stage the day it completes, and let automated reminders chase. Invoices raised at month end after the job are the ones that drift.
One last thing
The pattern in unpaid roofing work is almost always the same: the whole job was invoiced at the end, so the customer’s only leverage is withholding everything. Take a deposit, split the job into invoiced stages, and confirm extras in writing, the customer never holds more than one stage at a time.