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Payments for electrical contractors, when the inspection decides the invoice
On a permitted job the work being finished and the work being payable are two different dates, and a billing process that does not know the difference will invoice into an argument.
Service work, permitted work and commercial work
Three different cash cycles under one licence, and each one has a distinct failure mode.
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Service calls collect at the door
Diagnostic and small repair work is collected before the van leaves, card-present, which is both faster money and much harder for anyone to dispute afterwards.
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A permitted job is payable after sign-off
Final billing on permitted work is tied to inspection approval rather than to the day the crew finished, so the invoice and the customer expectation are describing the same milestone.
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Panel and service upgrades are staged
Larger residential upgrades are paid across materials, rough-in and final, each stage its own authorized charge linked to the same job record.
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Commercial work carries retainage
A percentage held back on commercial contracts is tracked as an expected receivable with a release condition, rather than quietly written off as a short payment.
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A licence and a certificate of insurance are payment documents
On commercial and property-manager work, payment is frequently gated on current documentation, so those expiry dates belong in the same place as the invoices.
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Passing card costs to a customer is jurisdictional
Whether anything may be added to an invoice for card acceptance depends on card-brand rules and the law where the work is done, and the device is configured accordingly. DRAFT — pending counsel
What to ask before changing how you bill
Five questions from a contractor who has been paid late by a general contractor.
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Ask how final billing is tied to inspection
If the system bills on completion date, expect to argue with customers whose job has not passed yet.
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Ask how retainage is tracked to release
Held-back money that is not tracked as a receivable is money you will eventually stop chasing.
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Ask what happens when a certificate of insurance lapses
On commercial work an expired certificate stops payment entirely, and finding out from accounts payable is the expensive way.
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Ask how staged residential payments stay linked
Three separate charges with no shared job record is how a customer comes to believe they paid twice.
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Ask what may be added to a card payment where you work
It is a legal question before it is a setting, and it varies by state. DRAFT — pending counsel
Questions electrical contractors ask
Short answers; anything stating a rule is marked draft until counsel signs it off.
Can we collect on site for service calls?
Yes, card-present at the door. It settles sooner and is far easier to defend than an invoice mailed later.
Can final billing wait for the inspector?
Yes. On permitted work the final invoice is tied to sign-off rather than to the day the crew packed up.
How is commercial retainage handled?
As a tracked receivable with a release condition, so held-back money stays visible instead of becoming an accepted short payment.
Can a large residential job be paid in stages?
Yes, across materials, rough-in and final, each linked to the same job record.
Can we add a charge for card payments?
That depends on card-brand rules and state law where the work is done, and the terminal is configured so it cannot happen where it is not permitted. (DRAFT — pending counsel)
Two tools to run from the van
Both are open access and neither needs a laptop.
Check what fits your business
The questionnaire asks a contractor the boarding questions — progress billing against a permit schedule, a deposit taken before material is bought, and what a processor makes of money collected before work is done. Delayed delivery is the underwriting subject and it decides your reserve position.
Statement audit
The statement audit reads a statement you already have and separates deposits from progress draws and final balances. Contractors billing in stages usually find the earliest stage priced hardest.
Talk to somebody who has billed permitted work
Tell us about the company and how to reach you.
Thank you. We will book a short call around your dispatch schedule.
We will implement whatever is right for you — including keeping what you have.
Last updated: 2026-08-17