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Accounting and invoicing for carpentry firms

Roof truss, timber frame, carport, extension: carpentry firms tie large amounts of timber and hours to a job and bill in stages. Saldiqo issues stage invoices on timber order and fitting, runs the final invoice and assigns timber and crane invoices to the job.

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What comes up for carpentry firms

High material value

Structural timber, insulation and fittings make up a large part of the price and have to be pre-financed.

Crane and third-party services

Crane, structural design and scaffolding come from third parties and are often re-invoiced.

Fitting time

Fitting at height, weather and dates make effort hard to predict, so exact time tracking is useful.

How Saldiqo helps

  • Stage invoices on timber order and fittingQuote, stage invoices by section, final invoice.
  • Re-invoice third-party servicesRecord crane, design and scaffolding as expenses and re-invoice them.
  • Time trackingRecord fitting time per job and evaluate it.
  • Cost centre per projectEvaluate material, time and invoices per project.

Typical invoice lines

Examples that often appear on invoices in this industry. You set the prices yourself.

  • Roof truss cutting and raising, flat fee
  • Timber frame wall, square metres
  • Crane use re-invoiced as per receipt
  • Fitting, hour
  • Structural timber as per delivery note
  • Stage invoice 30 % on timber order

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 pre-finance timber purchases?

With a stage invoice on timber order, straight from the quote.

Can I re-invoice crane and design?

Yes. You record the invoice as an expense with the job’s cost centre and re-invoice it as a line.

Do carpentry firms 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 carpentry firms 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 carpentry firms 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.