1. Invoicing Too Late
You finish the job on Friday. You invoice on the following Wednesday. The customer's already forgotten you. Send your invoice the same day the job is done — ideally within the hour.
2. Not Chasing Overdue Payments
British politeness is great for pub conversations, terrible for business. If an invoice is 7 days overdue, send a reminder. If it's 14 days, call.
3. Not Tracking Expenses Against Jobs
You bought £200 of copper pipe for the Henderson job. Did you bill for it? Without job-level expense tracking, you're guessing.
4. Quoting Too Low to Win Work
Undercutting competitors feels like winning until you realise you've worked 60-hour weeks for minimum wage. Price based on your costs plus a fair margin.
5. No Deposits on Large Jobs
Any job over £500 should have a deposit. 30-50% upfront is standard in every trade. It commits the customer and covers your materials cost.
The Bottom Line
Cash flow isn't about earning more — it's about getting paid for the work you've already done, on time, every time.
Try it yourself
Invoices that get paid, your way
Send the invoice with your bank details and your own payment link on it. Your customer pays you directly, and you mark it paid in one tap. ServicePay takes nothing from the payment.
See how invoicing works