Key facts
| Call-out terms | Record whether the attendance price includes diagnosis, travel, the first hour or other work. |
|---|---|
| Approval and billing | Keep the person who requested attendance, the person approving work and the invoice recipient clear. |
| Parts used | Distinguish fittings installed on this job from purchases, unused items and materials already included in a fixed price. |
| A return visit | Keep the first visit’s outcome, next approval and previous charges visible. |
Review the call-out and return bill in AxiomBlue
- Select the correct Customer and Site Address on the job and record the call-out agreement and billing contact in Description. Keep the diagnosis, proposed part and customer approval distinct; access approval is not approval of the repair price.
- Record work in Time Tracking and installed parts in Materials. Check included call-out time and billable settings against the agreement. Review the earlier visit’s invoice before adding return work so its included first hour is not billed twice.
- For completed time-and-materials work, select Generate Invoice and inspect Invoice Preview. A fixed-price repair on Professional uses the contract and New Claim. Review the draft recipient, call-out lines, parts, GST treatment and due date, then approve and send it.
Confirm the approval and billing contact before the visit
At booking, record the service address, caller and intended billing contact. If a property manager or another representative is arranging access, confirm the purchase-order reference, approval process and where the invoice should go. Do not decide who owes the bill solely from who opened the door.
Write down what the customer agreed to at this stage: attendance and diagnosis, a specified repair, or work at agreed rates within a stated limit. If the job changes, obtain the next decision through your agreed process and keep it with the job. This is an operational handover, not a decision about tenancy or contractual liability.
- Site address and the fault reported.
- Who can approve further work and how to reach them.
- Billing contact and any requested purchase-order reference.
- Agreed call-out terms, rates or repair price.
Read next From website enquiry to booked job: a practical process for tradies →
Separate diagnosis, repair and a return visit
An attendance can identify a failed part without resolving it. Record what was inspected, what remains outstanding and the repair proposed. Before the return visit, confirm the repair approval, parts and billing basis rather than treating the original request as unlimited authorisation.
Give the office a useful handover: “Kitchen tap inspected; replacement part required; repair price awaiting approval” is clearer than “job done”. Keep the first visit’s invoice or agreed included charge visible so the second invoice does not accidentally repeat it.
| Stage | Record before billing |
|---|---|
| Attendance and diagnosis | What the agreed call-out covers, time spent and the inspection outcome. |
| Repair approved | The accepted scope, parts, price or rate basis, and approval reference. |
| Repair completed | Work completed, parts installed, supporting notes and any exceptions. |
| Another visit needed | Outstanding action, approval needed and earlier charges to review. |
Worked example: a call-out that includes the first hour
Illustrative prices only, not plumbing market rates: the customer agrees to a $180 call-out including the first hour, additional time at $120 per hour and two fittings at $17.50 each. The approved repair takes 90 minutes. Assume the agreement permits charging the extra half-hour exactly, with no other minimum or rounding rule. Amounts below exclude any applicable tax.
The subtotal is $275: $180 attendance and first hour, $60 for the additional half-hour and $35 for the fittings. Do not add another charge for all 90 minutes when the first hour is already included. If a draft invoice lists every recorded hour, review the agreed included time and billing rules before issuing it.
For a fixed-price repair, bill the accepted scope instead. Recording the technician’s time and material cost still helps review the job, but those costs are not automatically additional customer charges. Check the applicable tax settings and any previous payment or invoice separately.
| Illustrative invoice line | Calculation | Amount before tax |
|---|---|---|
| Call-out including first hour | Agreed inclusive attendance charge | $180 |
| Additional labour | 0.5 hours × $120 | $60 |
| Two installed fittings | 2 × $17.50 | $35 |
| Subtotal | Review against the accepted terms | $275 |
Reconcile installed parts with the bill
Record the parts actually used: an item description, quantity and the agreed sell price or pricing basis. A supplier purchase is not proof that every item was installed on this job. Check unused or returned fittings, items from van stock and parts already included in an accepted repair price.
Avoid entering the same material once from the job record and again from the supplier receipt. Keep the receipt for cost evidence where appropriate, and review how each customer charge relates to the authorised work. Use a clear description rather than an unexplained supplier code when the customer needs to recognise the item.
Read next Use a job card in AxiomBlue → · Review job costs in AxiomBlue: quote against actual work →
Use plumbing invoice software with a review step
Axiom Blue connects job records with invoice preparation. For time-and-materials work, the invoice preview can use billable time and job materials; eligible approved unbilled variations can also be included. Materials use a recorded sell price or cost plus the recorded markup. Check whether that pricing matches your agreement. Fixed-price work follows its contract billing path.
The preview needs human review. Confirm any included call-out time, rate rules, quantities and previous charges. The software does not decide what the customer authorised or whether the tenant, owner or property manager is responsible for a bill. Creating and sending an invoice needs an internet connection; native offline job capture is a separate capability.
Free includes one user and 10 invoices per month. Basic is $29 AUD for the first seat monthly, excluding GST, and removes the invoice cap; job photo and document uploads start on Basic. Professional is $59 AUD for the first seat monthly, excluding GST and adds variations, accounting connectors and online card payments through a connected Stripe account. Provider fees apply. PDF invoices and a no-login customer invoice link are available across plans.
Read next Job invoicing software: bill from the job record → · On-site invoicing: invoice on the job →
Check the customer-facing invoice before sending
Make the work identifiable from the service address, visit date, job reference and a clear description. Review the charges, payment instructions and intended recipient. Confirm the correct invoice type and tax treatment for your registration and sale using the current Australian government guidance below.
Suggested description for an illustrative completed repair: “Kitchen tap repair at the recorded service address on 5 October; two fittings installed as authorised.” If further work remains, describe the completed work accurately and keep the next action with the job. Retain any required technical or compliance documents separately rather than presenting the invoice as proof of compliance.
Sources: business.gov.au: how to invoice
Common questions
Questions people ask before they switch
What should a plumbing invoice include?
Identify the customer and service address, visit date, job reference, completed work and agreed charges. Describe call-out inclusions, any additional labour and parts clearly. Review earlier charges, the intended billing contact, payment instructions and the correct tax treatment.
How do I invoice a call-out that includes the first hour?
Show the agreed attendance charge and charge additional time only according to the accepted terms. In the illustrative example here, a $180 call-out includes one hour; a 90-minute repair adds half an hour at $120 per hour. Do not bill the included hour again. Review any minimum or rounding rules before sending.
Can I invoice a second visit separately?
Check the agreement and repair approval. The first visit may cover diagnosis, while a later visit completes an approved repair, or both may be included in one accepted price. Keep the first visit’s charges visible and confirm what the return visit includes before issuing another invoice.
Is there free invoicing software for plumbers?
Axiom Blue Free includes one user and 10 invoices per month. Basic at $29 AUD for the first seat monthly, excluding GST removes the invoice cap and includes job photo and document uploads. Professional at $59 adds variations, accounting connectors and Stripe card payments with a connected account. Invoicing requires an internet connection.
Put it to work
Your practical checklist
- Confirm the approval contact, billing recipient and site.
- Record what the call-out or accepted repair price includes.
- Separate completed work from diagnosis and proposed repairs.
- Reconcile additional time and installed parts against the agreement.
- Check earlier invoices, payments and tax settings.
- Preview the invoice and retain the supporting job record.
See the records in Axiom Blue
Try the workflow with a familiar job.
Features and usage limits vary by plan. Review the tools relevant to your process before choosing your setup.