• How to price a job as a tradespersonA simple way to price building and trade work: your real day rate, materials with handling, the things that get forgotten, and a worked example.
• How to charge for extra work and actually get paidExtra work is where trades lose the most money. How to price it, get a written yes before you start, and keep the proof if the client argues later.
• What to put on a quote: a checklist for tradesQuote or estimate, what to include, payment terms, exclusions and the cancellation rules for work agreed at the client's home. A checklist for trades.
• How much deposit should a tradesperson take?Deposits and stage payments for builders and trades: what is normal, tying payments to stages, and the 14-day cancellation rule for work agreed at home.
• What to put on an invoice as a tradespersonWhat a UK invoice must include for sole traders and limited companies, plus payment terms that get you paid faster. A checklist for builders and trades.
• What to do when a client will not payWhat to do when a client will not pay a builder or tradesperson: reminders, a letter before claim, interest on business debts and making a court claim.
• The 14-day cooling-off period: what trades need to knowWhen a homeowner can cancel building work within 14 days, what you must give them, starting work early, and what you can still charge if they cancel.
• Quote or estimate: which one are you giving?A quote is a fixed price, an estimate is a best guess. What each one commits you to, when to use which, and how to stop an estimate turning into a dispute.
• Stage payments: get paid as the job goes, not at the endHow to split a building job into stage payments clients agree to: defining each stage, invoicing on the day, and what to do when a stage is not paid.
• How to invoice under CIS as a subcontractorHow a CIS subcontractor should invoice: labour and materials separate, the 20% or 30% deduction, VAT and the reverse charge, and what the contractor sends.
• CIS deductions explainedCIS deductions explained for UK subcontractors: the 20%, 30% and 0% rates, a worked example, what is taken from and how you get the tax back.
• How do I send an invoice to a client by email or WhatsApp?What a tradesperson's invoice must show, and how to send it by email or WhatsApp so it is clear, easy to pay and hard to dispute.
• How do I price a job per square metre?A simple way to work out a price per m2 for tiling, flooring, plastering or decorating from your day rate, materials and markup, with a worked example.
• Day rate and job price calculatorWork out the day rate you need, then price a job from it.