What a solar invoice is for
Solar jobs are paid by milestone over weeks or months, and the customer may be paying through a loan. Each invoice should show the contract total, what milestone was reached, payments so far and the amount due, so the customer and any lender see the same numbers.
What to put on a solar invoice
- The milestone reached.
- Contract total and change orders.
- Payments received.
- Amount due now.
- Next milestone.
A worked example
The system is installed and passed inspection; the utility approval is pending. This invoice is the installation milestone.
| Line | Qty | Unit | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Milestone: installation complete and inspected | 1 | each | Your price |
| Change order 1: roof repair under array | 1 | each | Your price |
The running contract total and what has been paid belong in the notes, where a lender can see them. The last milestone, utility approval, comes later.
Line items solar installers use
| Line item | Unit | How to write it |
|---|---|---|
| Solar panels, installed | each | Brand, model and wattage per panel. |
| Inverter or microinverters | each | String inverter or one per panel. |
| Racking and roof attachments | set | Attachment type and flashing. |
| Electrical: conduit, disconnect, wiring | set | Run from array to panel. |
| Main panel upgrade | each | If the existing panel cannot take the backfeed. |
| Battery storage | each | Brand and capacity. |
| Monitoring system | each | App or portal for production. |
| Engineering and design | each | Plan set for permit. |
| Permit and inspection | each | Building and electrical. |
| Utility interconnection application | each | Paperwork to connect to the grid. |
| Roof repair before install | square | If the roof will not outlast the panels. |
| Panel removal and reinstall | each | For reroofing later. |
| Panel cleaning | each | Maintenance visit. |
Terms and deposit language for solar
- Deposit. A deposit at signing covers design and permit work. Equipment and installation payments follow milestones. Check your state's rules on deposits and any solar-specific consumer rules.
- Payment. Payments tied to milestones such as permit approval, installation complete and permission to operate from the utility.
- Warranty. Separate the panel and inverter makers' warranties from your workmanship and roof penetration warranty, with how long each runs.
- Production estimates are estimates; actual output depends on weather, shading and use.
- Incentives, credits and rebates are the customer's to claim and depend on their situation; you provide paperwork, not tax advice.
- Utility approval timelines are outside your control.
How to fill it in
- Your business details carry over from any template you used before.
- Fill in who you are billing and the job.
- Check the lines against what you actually did, and add your prices.
- Put any deposit in Already paid, so the balance is right.
- Print, download or send it from Koira with a pay-by-card link.
Free tools for solar
- Roof measurement tool
- Satellite measuring tool
- EV charger installation cost calculator
- Electrician labor rate calculator
The same invoice for other trades: appliance repair, auto detailing, carpet cleaning, chimney, house cleaning, commercial cleaning, concrete, drywall, electrical, fence, flooring, garage door, general contractor, gutter, handyman, hvac, irrigation, junk removal, landscaping, lawn care, locksmith, moving, painting, pest control, plumbing, pool service, pressure washing, remodeling, roofing, septic, snow removal, tree service, waterproofing, window cleaning.