For concrete contractors
Pours billed by the yard, flatwork jobs billed in stages
Concrete work is priced by the cubic yard and the square foot, with pump and finishing time that change on the day. Commercial flatwork runs on draws with retainage; residential driveways are a deposit and a final invoice. Both depend on the numbers from the day of the pour, which rarely match the estimate to the yard.
The billing problems concrete contractors actually have
The yardage ordered and the yardage poured are never the same.
Bill the yards actually poured as the line’s quantity on the final invoice, so it matches the ticket from the plant.
Commercial flatwork is paid in draws with retainage held back.
Progress invoices bill by percent complete and withhold the job’s retainage; the release invoice bills it back at the end.
Pump time and standby time are disputed after the fact.
Put pump and standby on their own lines, by the hour, on the invoice the customer receives.
A worked invoice
Sample work, priced the way this work is usually priced. The total is computed with the same function the console bills with.
| Line | Qty | Price | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4,000 psi concrete placed, cubic yards | 11.5 | $195.00 | $2,242.50 |
| Broom finish, square feet | 720 | $4.50 | $3,240.00 |
| Pump truck, hours | 3 | $185.00 | $555.00 |
| Total | $6,037.50 | ||
Sample figures. The quantity on the first line is the poured yardage from the batch ticket; the deposit was invoiced separately.
Questions
Can a quantity be a fraction, like 11.5 yards?
Yes. Quantities are held to a thousandth, so 11.5 cubic yards bills exactly.
Can I hold retainage on commercial work only?
Yes. Retainage is set per job, so a residential job can hold none.
Can the general contractor pay by bank transfer?
Yes. Bank transfer (ACH) is offered on the payment page where your processing account supports it.
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