Bill every draw, and every change order.
A remodel or an addition gets paid in pieces: a deposit when they sign, a draw when the framing passes, another at drywall, the last at the punch list. Redline bills each piece from the job by chat and tells you when one is sitting unpaid.
Billing a project from signing to final
Deposit at signing
Once the client says yes, move the job to Accepted and invoice the deposit. They pay it by card on a pay link.
Draw at each milestone
"Invoice the Parkers draw 2, rough-in inspection passed, $18,000." Redline drafts it from the job, ready for you to check.
Change orders the day they happen
The client asked for a second window in the bedroom. Bill it as its own invoice now, or add it to the next draw with the change named in the line. Either way it's written down.
Watch what's open
Draws that go unpaid are flagged at day 3, 7 and 14 after sending, and Redline tells you who to call. Ask "what do the Parkers still owe?" any time.
Know what the job made
File material receipts against the job as you go. Reports shows profit per job after materials when it's done.
Draw 2 and a change order
Draft for Mark and Julie Parker: $19,350, "Draw 2, rough-in complete ($18,000), plus change order: add bedroom window, framed and trimmed ($1,350)." Due in 14 days. Approve and the pay link goes live.
Pay link's live. Draw 2 is the only unpaid Parker invoice: $19,350, due in 14 days. Copy the link from Money to send it.
Invoicing is on Solo ($29 a month) and up. Example amounts only.
An example draw schedule
Every contract sets its own. Here's how a mid-size addition might break down, each row one invoice in Redline.
| Invoice | When | What it says |
|---|---|---|
| Deposit | At signing | Deposit per contract |
| Draw 1 | Foundation and framing complete | Milestone and amount |
| Draw 2 | Rough-in inspections passed | Milestone, amount, any change orders so far |
| Draw 3 | Drywall and trim complete | Milestone and amount |
| Final | Punch list done, final inspection | Balance, plus any allowance overages |
Amounts and milestones are yours. Redline doesn't calculate percent complete.
The change order that never got billed
On a three-month job, the client asks for small changes every week. A different vanity. An extra outlet in the garage. Moving a doorway six inches. Each one is agreed in the driveway, and by the final invoice half of them are forgotten or argued about.
The fix is billing them the day they happen, while everyone remembers the conversation. In Redline that's one message, either as its own invoice or added to the next draw. It's written down with a price on it, which is most of the battle.
Straight answers for GCs
Redline does
- Deposit, milestone draws and final invoices from the same job
- Change orders as their own invoice or added to the next draw
- Card pay links on your own Stripe account
- Flag unpaid draws at day 3, 7 and 14
- Profit per job after materials in Reports
Redline doesn't
- Produce AIA G702 or G703 pay applications
- Track retainage
- Collect or manage lien waivers
- Do full job costing with labor and subs
- Remind clients about unpaid draws on its own
Questions contractors ask
Will a $20,000 draw go through on a card?
It can, but the pay link is card only, and Stripe's processing fee on a draw that size comes out of your account. Redline doesn't take bank transfers on the pay page today, so weigh that before you send a big draw as a link.
Can I see everything billed on one project?
Yes. Every invoice is on the client's file and in Money, and the chat can list what a client still owes.
Can my office manager do the billing?
Yes, on Team ($129 a month, 3 seats) and up, by inviting them to your workspace. Teammates with the Tech role never see money, so give your office manager a different role.
More for general contractors
Bill the next draw the day it's earned.
Set up the job free, then turn on Solo at $29 a month for deposits, draws and pay links. 7-day trial on the web.
Keep reading
- General contractor softwareProgress draws, same-day change orders and homeowner updates from your Gmail.
- Remodeling estimate softwareFixed scopes plus finish allowances, in finish-level options with a deposit.
- Invoicing and card paymentsInvoice from the job in two taps or one message. Customers pay by card.
- Expenses and reportsReceipts filed against the job, profit per job after materials, and CSV exports.