Builder Invoice Template NZ Free Progress Claim Template, Ready to Use
A free invoice and progress claim template for NZ builders and building companies. Covers labour, materials, subcontractor costs, variation orders, retentions, and GST - with a place for your LBP number and building consent reference. Or skip the template and use Invio to send progress claims straight from site.
No credit card • GST calculated automatically • Send from site
Example CLAIM-0003
- A
LBP number
BP000000
Your business details
- C
Building consent
BC-2026-04519
Job and line items
- C
Variation order
VO-02 - additional window (approved 12 Jun 2026), $1,450.00
Job and line items
- D
Retention held
$1,758.00 (10%)
GST and retention
The template
A filled-in builder progress claim, shown at A4 widthExample figures, not a real job22 Cameron Road
Hillcrest, Hamilton 3216
027 641 205
GST: 104-829-661
TAX INVOICE
BCLAIM-0003
Issue: 23 Jul 2026
Due: 06 Aug 2026
Sent
Bill To
Grant & Sarah Whitfield
9 Ridgeway Terrace
Hillcrest, Hamilton 3216
| CDescription | Qty | Rate | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Labour - framing crew. Framing complete per approved plans, 2 carpenters x 4 days64 x $95.00 | 64 | $95.00 | $6,080.00 |
| H1.2 treated framing timber & fixings. Nails, joist hangers1 x $6,250.00 | 1 | $6,250.00 | $6,250.00 |
| Drainlayer - Stage 3 drainage. Subcontractor invoice passed through at cost1 x $3,800.00 | 1 | $3,800.00 | $3,800.00 |
| VO-02 - additional window (approved 12 Jun 2026). Lounge window upsize1 x $1,450.00 | 1 | $1,450.00 | $1,450.00 |
BPayment Details
Please use the following details to make a payment.
Bank: Westpac
Account: 03-0512-0938271-00
Reference: CLAIM-0003
Notes
LBP No: BP000000 Rear extension - Building Consent No. BC-2026-04519 - Stage 3: Framing and first-fix complete Retention held under the contract: $1,758.00 (10%). Amount payable this claim: $18,459.00.
Thank you for your business!
What this invoice should carry
Nineteen fields, in four groups, keyed to the letters on the sample claim above. Where a value is shown, it is the one you can read off it.
Your business details
Business name or trading name
On the sample: Rangitoto Build Co Ltd
GST number, if you're registered
On the sample: 104-829-661
LBP number, if you carry out or supervise Restricted Building Work
On the sample: BP000000
Phone number
On the sample: 027 641 205
Physical or postal address
On the sample: 22 Cameron Road, Hillcrest, Hamilton 3216
Claim identifiers
Progress claim number, sequential for your records
On the sample: CLAIM-0003
Claim date and the stage or period covered
On the sample: 23 Jul 2026, Stage 3
Payment due date
On the sample: 6 Aug 2026
Bank account for payment
On the sample: 03-0512-0938271-00
Job and line items
Description of the stage completed - specific enough to identify it
On the sample: Framing and first-fix complete
Labour hours x your hourly rate, on its own line
On the sample: 64.0 hrs x $95.00/hr
Materials at cost plus your markup, listed separately from labour
On the sample: H1.2 treated framing timber & fixings, $6,250.00
Subcontractor costs, itemised by trade
On the sample: Drainlayer - Stage 3 drainage, $3,800.00
Variation orders, each on its own line with an approval reference
On the sample: VO-02 - additional window (approved 12 Jun 2026), $1,450.00
Building consent number, where the work is consented
On the sample: BC-2026-04519
GST and retention
Subtotal, GST at 15%, and claim total (inc GST), as three separate lines
On the sample: $17,580.00 / $2,637.00 / $20,217.00
Retention held this claim, shown separately
On the sample: $1,758.00 (10%)
Amount due after retention
On the sample: $18,459.00
Buyer's name and one identifying detail (address, phone number, email address, trading name, NZBN, or website) - only if the buyer is GST registered, for invoices $1,000+
On the sample: Doesn't apply below - the Whitfields aren't GST registered
How to fill out a builder progress claim
Follow these steps at every claim stage to get paid on schedule and keep the paper trail clean.
Fill in your business and LBP details
Add your trading name, GST number, LBP number (if you carry out or supervise Restricted Building Work), address, phone, and email at the top. If you trade as Rangitoto Build Co Ltd, use that - not your personal name.
Number the claim and reference the consent
Use a sequential claim number - CLAIM-0003 after CLAIM-0002 - and reference the building consent number where the work is consented. This ties your billing to the approved plans and stage.
Add the client and property details
If the buyer is GST registered, claims of $1,000 or more need their name plus one identifying detail - address, phone number, email address, trading name, NZBN, or website. Do this on every claim - it removes any ambiguity about which property and job the claim relates to.
List labour, materials, and subcontractors separately
Break down labour hours × rate, materials at cost + markup, and each subcontractor cost as its own line. Lumping everything into one number makes it much harder for a client - or their bank - to sign off the claim.
Add any variation orders on their own line
Reference the variation number and approval date - for example, "Variation VO-02 - additional window installation (approved 12 Jun 2026)". Never fold a variation into the base contract price.
Calculate GST and show retention separately
Multiply your subtotal by 0.15 to get the GST amount. Show subtotal, GST, and claim total as three lines, then show retention held on this claim and the net amount due. Use the free Invio GST calculator at /gst-calculator-nz to check your numbers.
Add your bank account details and send
Include your bank account number and ask the client to use the claim number as the payment reference. Send it on schedule at each stage - a claim that arrives late is a payment that arrives late.
Common builder invoice mistakes
These mistakes slow payment, create disputes, or put you offside with the Construction Contracts Act. Easy to fix once you know them.
Missing LBP number on Restricted Building Work
e.g. Framing progress claim with no licence reference
Add your LBP number to the invoice header whenever the claim covers Restricted Building Work. It confirms the work is legally being carried out or supervised by a licensed practitioner.
Variations bundled into the base contract
e.g. "Extra work this stage - $1,450" with no VO reference
List each approved variation on its own line with a VO number and approval date. This is the single biggest cause of payment disputes on residential builds.
No building consent reference on consented work
e.g. Progress claim with no consent number anywhere
Add the building consent number to the job description. It matches your billing to the approved stage and saves time if a bank or council needs to verify progress.
Retention not tracked claim to claim
e.g. Final claim disputes what has already been withheld
Show retention held on every claim, not just the final one. It keeps a running total both you and the client can check at any time.
Vague stage description
e.g. "Build work - $17,580" with no detail
Describe the stage precisely: "Framing and first-fix complete per approved plans". Vague claims are the easiest ones for a client to query or delay.
Sending the claim after the stage has moved on
e.g. Claim for framing sent after roofing has started
Send each claim as soon as the stage is complete, on the schedule agreed in your contract. If a claim is already overdue, see our guide on chasing overdue invoices at /chase-overdue-invoices-nz.
What goes on the lines, and what it usually costs
The lines a builder invoice tends to have, in the three groups they fall into.
Labour and time
Priced per hour, on site
Builder / LBP labour rate
Per hour, on site
$75 - $120/hr
Ex GST. Auckland and main centres run higher than regional NZ.
Labourer / apprentice rate
Per hour, mixed crews
$35 - $55/hr
Billed separately from tradesperson rates where crews are mixed.
Subcontractor pass-through
Per trade, itemised separately
At cost, or + 10 - 15%
Some builders pass subcontractor invoices through at cost; others add a management margin - state which in your contract.
Materials and variations
At cost plus your markup, or priced per job
Materials markup
On top of supplier cost
Cost + 10 - 20%
Covers ordering, storage, and wastage. List materials at your sell price - you don't need to show your cost.
Variation order
Each variation, its own line
Priced per job
Always itemised separately from the base contract, with an approval reference.
Retention
Withheld from each progress claim
Retention
Per claim, released later
5 - 10%
Released at practical completion and after the defects liability period. The Construction Contracts Act trust regime covers commercial contracts only, not work for a homeowner living in the house.
Indicative GST-exclusive ranges for 2026, to sanity-check a line you have not priced before. GST itself is 15% on top of the subtotal once you are registered - use the free GST calculator to check. They are not a price guide and not advice on what to charge: rates vary by region, by contract size, and by how many subcontractors are coordinating on the job.
Why Invio beats Word and Excel for builders
A spreadsheet is a fine starting point for one job. Most builders move to proper software once they are running several claims across several sites.
Send claims from site
Add labour, materials, subcontractor costs, and variations from the job before you drive off. No spreadsheet to update back at the office.
Before you drive off
GST calculated automatically
Invio does the 15% for you on every claim and shows subtotal, GST, and total correctly - no formula to accidentally break mid-build.
CLAIM-0003Sent
Subtotal$17,580.00
GST (15%)$2,637.00
Total$20,217.00
15% on every claim
Saved clients and jobs
Store each client and job once. Claim #4 for the Whitfield extension? Two taps and the claim is half-filled already.
Two taps
Payment reminders built in
Invio sends automatic follow-ups on their own when a claim goes overdue, and stops the moment it is paid - so you are not the one making awkward calls mid-build.
Automatic reminders
Overdue: Invoice CLAIM-0003 is outstanding - $20,217.003 days after the due date
Paid. Reminders stop.
Automatic follow-ups
IRD-compliant every time
Every Invio invoice has the right fields: GST number, date, breakdown, customer address when required. You can't accidentally send a non-compliant claim.
CLAIM-0003Example
HeadingTAX INVOICE
GST104-829-661
Issue23 Jul 2026
Due06 Aug 2026
Every required field
PDF ready to email or print
Send the claim by email directly from Invio, or download a clean PDF for the client's records or their bank.
Example e-mail
Invoice CLAIM-0003 from Rangitoto Build Co Ltd
Here's your invoice from Rangitoto Build Co Ltd - a PDF copy is attached, and you can also view it online anytime.
Invoice-CLAIM-0003.pdfOne click
What a builder's invoice carries that the others do not
Every NZ trade invoice needs the same GST basics. Past that, the paperwork splits by trade - here is what is specific to building work.
BP000000
LBP - carrying out or supervising the work
Builders need an LBP number when they carry out or supervise Restricted Building Work - foundations, framing, roofing, and cladding are the common examples. Carpenters carry the same LBP number, but only when the specific job itself is Restricted Building Work - most finish carpentry does not qualify, so it is usually left off. Electricians carry an EWRB number instead, and plumbers are registered with the Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers Board. Painters and landscapers have no equivalent at all.
5 - 10%
Retention, and when it is held on trust
A percentage of each progress claim withheld until practical completion or the end of the defects liability period. On a commercial contract the Construction Contracts Act requires it to be held on trust rather than sitting in the client's general account; on work for a homeowner living in the house that regime does not apply.
VO-02
Variation orders, their own line
Each approved variation gets its own line with a reference and approval date, never folded into the base contract price - the single biggest cause of payment disputes on residential builds.
Claim, not invoice
A progress claim bills against a running total
A multi-stage build is billed in claims against a contract value, with retention tracked claim to claim - a structure none of the other five trades on this page need, plumbing's own payment-claim process included.
Builder Invoice FAQs
Common questions from NZ builders about progress claims, GST, retentions, and getting paid.
Do I need to add GST to my progress claim?
Do I need to show my LBP number on the invoice?
How does retention work on NZ building contracts?
How do I invoice a variation order?
Should I reference my building consent number on the invoice?
What's the difference between a progress claim and a final invoice?
What happens if a client disputes a progress claim?
Can I send progress claims from my phone on site?
Do I need my client's address on the invoice?
Send every progress claim correctly, from site
Invio is free for sole traders. Set up your business rates and GST once, send progress claims from site with your LBP number and the retention held written on each claim, and let automatic reminders handle the chase - free on your first 3 invoices, unlimited on Pro.
Free to start • GST calculated automatically • No credit card required