Invoice app and templates for flooring installers
Priced by the square foot, with waste, prep and removal around the edges. Flooring invoices should make each of those visible.
Flooring looks simple on a quote: so many square feet at so much per foot. In practice the price is made of the material, the waste you must allow for, the labour to lay it, and everything that happens before the first board goes down: taking up the old floor, levelling the subfloor, moving furniture.
What makes flooring invoices different
- Materials are bought with a waste allowance, so you order more than the room’s area. It is commonly somewhere around 5 to 10 percent, depending on the layout and the product.
- Labour is priced by the square foot, and prep and removal are priced separately.
- Subfloor problems are found when the old floor comes up and change the work.
- Special-order flooring has lead times, so a deposit before ordering is standard.
What goes on a flooring invoice
- The flooring product and the quantity ordered, including the waste allowance.
- Installation labour by the square foot of floor actually covered.
- Removal and disposal of the old floor, as its own line.
- Subfloor repair or levelling, with the reason for it.
- Trims, transitions and any furniture moving, plus the deposit received.
Example: 400 square feet of luxury vinyl plank
The room measures 400 square feet. Ordering 10 percent extra for waste means buying 440 square feet of material, but labour is for the 400 that is laid.
| Item | Qty | Price | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Luxury vinyl plank, including 10 percent waste (sq ft) | 440 | $3.20 | $1,408.00 |
| Installation labour (sq ft) | 400 | $2.50 | $1,000.00 |
| Old flooring removal (sq ft) | 400 | $0.90 | $360.00 |
| Subfloor leveling | 1 | $210.00 | $210.00 |
| Transition strips | 3 | $22.00 | $66.00 |
| Total | $3,044.00 | ||
| Deposit received | -$1,500.00 | ||
| Balance due | $1,544.00 |
Total $3,044.00 with a $1,500 deposit received, leaving $1,544.00 to pay. The client can see that the material and the laid area are different numbers, and why.
Three billing problems flooring installers run into
Waste that looks like padding
Clients see 440 where the room is 400 and suspect a mistake. Explain the waste allowance on the estimate and name it on the invoice line.
Subfloor surprises
State on the estimate that subfloor repair is extra and how it is priced. When it comes up, show the client and get approval before continuing.
Returns and leftovers
Decide what happens to unused material, and say so. Some installers credit returns of unopened boxes, others leave them with the client, and either is fine if it is written.
Estimates, deposits and getting paid
Measure the room, add the waste, and write the estimate with materials, labour, removal and prep as separate lines. A deposit when you order covers the material. Invoice the balance when the floor is done. Our guide on writing an estimate shows how to structure it.
How Invoice Mint fits flooring work
- Save your per-square-foot prices, removal and trims so an estimate is quick to build on site.
- Send the estimate as a link and let the client accept it online.
- Turn the accepted estimate into an invoice and show the deposit received.
- See which jobs are paid and which need a reminder.
How much do flooring installers make?
In the United States, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) puts the median annual wage for flooring installers and tile and stone setters at $54,390 as of May 2025, about $26.15 an hour. BLS groups flooring installers with tile and stone setters, so the figures cover both.
| Measure | Amount |
|---|---|
| The lowest-paid tenth earn less than | $36,910 |
| Median wage | $54,390 |
| The highest-paid tenth earn more than | $89,320 |
| Projected job growth, 2025 to 2035 | 4 percent |
These figures are for employees. BLS wage data does not include self-employed workers, so an owner’s income depends on the prices they charge, the work they win and the costs they carry. For flooring it helps to think per square foot. Say you want to take home $54,390 and your tools, truck and insurance cost $14,000 a year. If you install 30,000 square feet in a year, you need $2.28 for each installed square foot just to get there, before tax and any profit.
Do flooring installers need a licence, and how do you learn the trade?
BLS lists no formal educational credential for flooring installers and says some learn through a two- to four-year apprenticeship. Several organisations offer certification, which BLS says is not required. Contractor licensing differs by state and country, so check the rules where you work.
Taxes and costs when you run a flooring business
For self-employed work in the United States, the IRS lists a self-employment tax of 15.3 percent, with 12.4 percent going to Social Security and 2.9 percent to Medicare. Estimated tax payments may be due quarterly. Costs that are specific to flooring include:
- Saws, rollers, knee pads, cutters and moisture meters that wear out.
- A truck that can carry heavy materials, and the fuel it uses.
- Insurance, and the cost of re-doing a job that fails.
- Disposal of the old flooring you remove.
- Time spent measuring, quoting and ordering materials.
Rules in Canada, Australia, the UK and elsewhere are different, so check with your own tax office. A habit that works everywhere: move a fixed share of every payment into a separate account the day it arrives, and ask an accountant what share suits your income.
Free tools for flooring installers
- Free estimate template for contractors and small businesses A free, clean estimate template in PDF, Word and Excel. Fill in your lines and prices, send it, and win the job. Open
- Free invoice template for contractors and small businesses Free invoice templates in PDF, Word and Excel. Pick a style, add your lines and prices, and send a professional invoice. Open
-
Markup and margin calculator
Free markup and margin calculator. Enter your cost and a markup, margin or price to see the selling price and profit.
Open
-
Service price calculator
Free service price calculator. Enter hours, your rate, costs and a profit markup to see what to charge for the job.
Open
Common questions
How much waste should I allow for flooring?
It depends on the product and the layout. Allowances around 5 to 10 percent are common, with more for diagonal patterns or awkward rooms. State the allowance on the estimate.
Should I charge for removal separately?
Yes. Removal and disposal are real labour and a real cost, and a separate line makes the price of the new floor clearer.
How much deposit should a flooring installer ask for?
Enough to cover the materials order. Check what is customary and allowed where you work, and put the amount in the estimate.
Is there a free flooring estimate template?
Yes. The free estimate and invoice templates can be edited for flooring and downloaded as a PDF, Word file or Excel sheet.
