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Get paid at every stage, not at the end.
Split a renovation into a deposit and milestone invoices tied to real progress. Each invoice goes out as a branded link with your payment terms, and you see what is paid and what is due.
- Deposit and stage invoices
- Your payment terms on each
- Reminders until paid
Kitchen remodel billing
- Deposit at signingPaid
- Demolition and rough inPaid
- Cabinets installedDue Friday
- Final walkthroughScheduled
Why contractors bill in milestones
Cash flow that matches the work
You buy materials and pay crews before the job ends. Milestone invoices bring money in as each stage is finished.
Built from the estimate
Accept an estimate and turn it into a billing schedule. No retyping the numbers into a separate invoice.
Your terms on every invoice
Set your payment terms and instructions once. They print on every invoice so clients know exactly how to pay you.
Automatic reminders
Set a reminder cadence per invoice. Renovate emails the client under your business name until it is marked paid.
Ready when you are
How milestone billing works in Renovate
Accept the estimate
The client accepts your estimate online and the total becomes the contract amount.
Set the stages
Split the total into a deposit and progress milestones, by percent or by amount.
Send each invoice
When a stage is complete, send its invoice as a secure link the client can open on any device.
Mark paid and move on
Your client pays you directly. Mark the invoice paid and a receipt is generated automatically.
A simple milestone schedule for a renovation
A common kitchen remodel schedule is a deposit at signing, a payment after demolition and rough in, a payment when cabinets and countertops are installed, and a final payment at substantial completion. Many contractors hold the last five percent until the punch list is done.
The key rule is to tie every payment to something the client can see. Payments that come due on a date, whether or not the work is finished, cause disputes. Payments tied to a finished stage do not.
Check your state's rules on deposits before you set the first milestone, because several states cap the deposit. Then let software track the schedule, so you always know which invoices are paid, which are due, and which need a reminder.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What is milestone billing?
Milestone billing splits a project total into stages, such as deposit, demolition, installation, and completion. Each stage becomes its own invoice, so you are paid as the work progresses.
Does Renovate collect payments from my client?
No. Renovate sends branded invoices with your payment terms and instructions. Your client pays you directly and Renovate takes no cut.
Can I bill by percent or by amount?
Yes. Split the total by percent or by fixed amount, and adjust the schedule if a change order is approved.
What happens when a change order is approved?
The revised contract amount carries through to billing, so later milestone invoices reflect the change.
Can I send reminders?
Yes. Reminders go out from your business name on the cadence you set, until the invoice is marked paid.
How much does milestone billing cost?
It is included in Pro at $29.99 a month and in Pro Plus at $59.99 a month, with unlimited invoices.
Ready when you are
Ready to run your business like a pro?
Estimates, milestone invoices, contacts, pipeline, tasks, schedule, storefront, and Renovate AI room mockups, all in one platform.