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From rough-in to sign-off, with the paperwork done on site
Half your week is in other people's ceilings and the other half is waiting on an inspector. A builder owes you for rough-in, a homeowner wants a number for an EV charger over the phone, and the test results are written on the lid of a breaker box. Deal with them from the ladder, by voice if your hands are full.
A working week, in pages
"How much for a car charger?"
The honest answer depends on how far the panel is from the garage and whether it has capacity to spare, and the caller wants a figure now. A few tap-through questions give them a range. They also give you the panel location and run length before you agree to drive out.
estimate for EV charger install from $900: distance from panel, panel size, indoor or outdoor
Stage payments on the new build
You've bought the cable and the panels for a four-bed, and the builder's next payment run is after drywall. Split the job into rough-in, inspection passed and trim-out, each with a date and its own Pay button. Your money stops riding on the painter's schedule.
plan Hartley Homes, Lot 7 electrical $18,600: rough-in $7,400, after inspection $6,200, trim-out $5,000
The kitchen circuit with no ground
You pull an outlet for a simple swap and find cloth-insulated wire and no ground. You won't put a new device on that, and your quote never covered rerunning the circuit. Show what you found and the price while the homeowner is still standing in the kitchen, and the yes is on record.
variation for Sandra Kim, 18 Poplar Ave: old cloth wiring with no ground on kitchen circuit, new 20A circuit from panel $780
Asking for the shutdown
The panel swap means three hours with no power on two floors, and the building manager has to agree a window before you can book the crew. Put the exact floors and times on one page and ask for a yes or a no. The answer comes back to you instead of sinking in an email thread.
approval from Greg at Maple Court: power off floors 2 and 3 Tuesday 7am to 10am for the $1,950 panel swap
The look before they buy
A buyer wants to know what they're taking on in a 1960s house, and a paragraph in an email won't carry it. Go through the panel, kitchen, bathrooms and outside, marking each one pass, attention or fail with your notes. It prints as a PDF they can hand to their agent.
report 7 Linden Way for Amy Cole, $320 inspection: panel attention, bathroom outlets no GFCI fail, kitchen pass, outside pass
Sign-off day
The inspector has been, the breakers are labelled, and the homeowner wants something for the house file. Give them a numbered completion certificate with your name and the date, on top of whatever official form your area asks for.
certificate of completion for Ruben Diaz, panel upgrade and 4 new circuits at 30 Cedar Row
Questions
Does this replace my official certificate or permit paperwork?
No. Permits, inspections and compliance forms depend on where you work and who regulates you, so use whatever your authority requires. These pages are for the customer's file and your own records.
Can I put breakers and labour at different tax rates?
Yes. On a quote or invoice, each line can carry its own rate or none. Whether labour and materials are taxed, and at what rate, depends on your location, so check with your accountant.
I work day rate for a builder. How do I show the hours?
Keep a timesheet page for the job and add each day by text as you go. The builder approves it at the end, and you invoice the agreed total. A Pay button on the builder's invoice works once your own Stripe is linked.
Read next
- How to ask for a depositHow to ask for a deposit in plain words, work out a fair amount and write refund terms that hold up. Includes wording to copy and the legal limits to check first.
- Change orders and variation orders for small jobsHow to record extra work and get a clear yes before you do it, even on a small job. Includes wording to copy, a worked example and what counts as a good approval.
- Are electronic signatures legal? What a small business needs to knowIn the US, an electronic signature on an ordinary business contract is generally as valid as ink, with a short list of exceptions. This guide covers typed and drawn signatures, what to keep as a record, and what doesn't qualify.
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