Accounting and invoicing for joiners
Fitted kitchen, staircase, windows, made-to-measure furniture: a joinery builds one-offs with long lead times and high material value. Saldiqo issues a deposit on order, part invoices on delivery and a final invoice after fitting and keeps timber and fittings invoices in view.
What comes up for joiners and carpenters
One-offs with a long lead time
Weeks pass between order and fitting. In that time money sits in timber and fittings.
Fitting at the customer
Measuring, delivery and fitting are separate steps, each with time and travel.
Material costs fluctuate
Timber prices change. Whoever assigns receipts per job knows the margin.
How Saldiqo helps
- Deposit on orderFrom the quote you create the deposit invoice on order confirmation.
- Part invoice on deliveryOn larger projects you bill parts, and the final invoice deducts everything.
- Material per jobRecord timber merchant invoices and assign them to the job’s cost centre.
- Fitting by the hourRecord time and take it into the final invoice as a line.
Typical invoice lines
Examples that often appear on invoices in this industry. You set the prices yourself.
- Made-to-measure fitted kitchen, manufacture
- Oak staircase, manufacture and fitting
- Site measurement, flat fee
- Fitting, hour
- Fittings and material as per delivery note
- Deposit 40 % on order confirmation
Tax and invoicing in Ireland
What applies to invoices in Ireland, in short. As of October 2026.
- VAT
- Standard rate 23 %, reduced rates 13.5 % and 9 %, 4.8 % for livestock, and 0 %. Since 1 July 2026 a 9 % rate applies to restaurants, catering, hot takeaway food and hairdressing, excluding alcohol and soft drinks.
- VAT registration
- Registration is required above €42,500 a year for services and above €85,000 for goods, if at least 90 % of turnover comes from goods. Saldiqo leaves VAT off your invoices while you are below the threshold and shows how much room is left.
- What goes on an invoice
- Registered businesses show their VAT number. Sole traders and partnerships providing services show their tax reference number, or their full name and address, on invoices and receipts of €7 or more (section 885 TCA). Companies show their name, CRO number and registered office, and directors’ details on letters, order forms and the website.
- Invoice timing
- Issue a VAT invoice within 15 days after the end of the month in which the supply took place.
- E-invoicing
- From 1 November 2028 every business must be able to receive e-invoices. Issuing is phased in: first for suppliers to large corporates, from November 2029 for businesses trading B2B within the EU, and from 1 July 2030 under the EU VAT in the Digital Age rules. A PDF does not count as an e-invoice, and the technical specifications are not yet published.
- VAT returns
- VAT3 returns are filed every two months through ROS, by the 19th of the following month, or the 23rd when you file online through ROS. Saldiqo does not file returns, your accountant or ROS does.
- Record keeping
- Keep records for 6 years, longer while a review is open.
- Late payment
- Interest on late business payments is the ECB main refinancing rate (2.40 % in the second half of 2026) plus 8 points, so 10.40 %, plus fixed compensation of €40, €70 or €100 depending on the amount owed.
- Getting paid
- IBAN and BIC are on every invoice, plus a SEPA QR code (EPC) for banking apps that can read it.
Frequently asked questions
How do I bill a job with a deposit?
With a quote, a deposit invoice on order, a part invoice on delivery and a final invoice after fitting.
How do I see the margin per job?
With cost centres. You assign material, time and invoices to the job.
Do joiners and carpenters in Ireland have to charge VAT?
Once they are registered, yes. Registration is required from the sale that takes turnover over €42,500 a year for services or €85,000 for goods, where at least 90 % of turnover comes from goods. Below those limits Saldiqo leaves VAT off your invoices.
Do joiners and carpenters in Ireland need e-invoicing?
Not yet. From 1 November 2028 every business must be able to receive e-invoices. The duty to issue them phases in from the same date for suppliers to large corporates and later for more businesses. PDF invoices do not count as e-invoices.
How long should joiners and carpenters keep invoices?
Keep records for 6 years, longer while a review is open. You can store receipts digitally in Saldiqo. The legal duty to keep records stays with you.
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As of October 2026. General information, not legal or tax advice, without guarantee. For your case ask your tax adviser.