What's the fastest way for a contractor to get paid?

Invoice the moment the job is done, while you're still on site, and take a card on the spot. Same-day invoicing is the single biggest lever on how fast you get paid.

What payment terms should a solo contractor use?

Short ones — Net 7 or Net 14 — plus a deposit on larger jobs. Long terms like Net 30 just delay your cash flow for no benefit on small jobs.

How do I get customers to pay without chasing them?

Automate reminders the day a balance is due and keep a card on file. Most late payments are forgetfulness, not refusal, and a polite automatic nudge collects most of them.

Should I charge late fees?

A late fee stated in your terms can help, but getting paid up front and on time works better. Use a late fee calculator if you need one, though deposits and fast invoicing prevent the problem.

How to Get Paid Faster as a Solo Contractor

Cash flow problems don’t just affect contractors who aren’t busy enough. They affect busy contractors who aren’t getting paid fast enough. You can have a full schedule and still feel like money is always tight — because the jobs you finished two weeks ago still haven’t paid.

Here’s how to shorten that gap.

Stop sending invoices “later”

The single most impactful change you can make: invoice the moment a job is complete. On-site, on your phone, before you load your tools back in the truck. With mobile invoicing tools, this takes two minutes. The customer pays while the goodwill is fresh and the work is visible.

Add a payment link to every invoice

Customers who receive a PDF invoice with your bank details will pay “when they get around to it.” Customers who receive a link that takes them to a payment screen in two taps pay the same day.

Modern invoicing tools for contractors include payment links as standard. If yours doesn’t, switch.

Require deposits for larger jobs

For jobs over $300-500, require a 25-50% deposit before you show up. This does three things: it filters out unreliable customers, it protects your materials cost, and it creates a psychological commitment to pay the balance.

Set clear payment terms and communicate them upfront

“Payment due on completion” is a term that should be communicated when the job is booked, confirmed in the estimate, and restated on the invoice. Customers who know the expectation upfront comply far more readily than those who receive an invoice and feel surprised.

Automate your follow-ups

Most late payments aren’t intentional. Customers get busy and forget. A CRM that automatically sends a reminder three days after an invoice goes unpaid — and again at seven days — recovers most of those situations without you having to make an awkward phone call.

Offer multiple payment options

Some customers don’t have their card handy. Offer card, ACH, and digital wallets. The fewer friction points, the faster you get paid.

Track who owes you what

If you don’t know exactly who has an outstanding invoice, you’re guaranteed to miss follow-ups. A proper CRM keeps a live view of your receivables — sorted by age — so nothing falls through the cracks.

The bottom line

Getting paid faster is mostly a systems problem. The right habits, communicated clearly, backed by tools that automate the follow-up, will meaningfully improve your cash flow within the first month.