How to Invoice Progress Claims for Concrete Jobs: Deposits, Milestones and Final Claims

A concrete progress claim is an invoice for a portion of a large job, issued at an agreed milestone — after excavation, after the pour, or at project completion. Progress claims for concreting work should show the total contract sum, the amount claimed in this invoice, the total claimed to date, and the balance remaining. Each claim needs its own invoice number and payment terms.

This guide explains how to structure progress claims for concreters, then shows how SMASH for concreters generates each claim from a voice description in under 60 seconds.

When do concreters use progress claims?

Progress claims are used when:

• The total contract value is high (typically above $5,000)
• The job spans multiple days or weeks
• A builder or developer requires milestone billing
• You need a deposit before mobilisation to cover concrete supply costs

A standard residential driveway might invoice in full at completion. A warehouse slab or development site typically uses three to five progress claims.

The standard concrete progress claim structure

Each progress claim invoice should include:

1. Your business name, ABN, and invoice number (sequential from your last invoice)
2. The words "Progress Claim" in the invoice title
3. The client's name, company, and ABN
4. Job address and project description
5. Contract sum: the total agreed price for the full project
6. Previous claims: total amount invoiced before this claim
7. This claim: the amount being invoiced now
8. Balance remaining: contract sum minus total claimed to date
9. GST breakdown if applicable
10. Payment terms and payment link

Example claim heading: Progress Claim #2 — Hillcrest Warehouse Slab, 18 Harris Road

Example progress claim schedule for a large concreting job

Contract: 400m² warehouse slab, total contract $42,000 + GST

Each of these is a separate invoice. The client can see exactly what stage they are paying for and what is still outstanding.

How to show GST on progress claims

If you are GST-registered:

• Show GST as a separate line on each claim, calculated on the claim amount (not the full contract sum)
• Include your ABN and the words "Tax Invoice" on every claim
• Keep the GST consistent across all claims so it adds up to 10% of the total contract value

If the client is claiming back GST as a business, they need a proper tax invoice for each progress claim. A message or email with a dollar amount does not qualify.

Common mistakes on concrete progress claims

Lump sum invoices without breakdown: Builders and developers will query these. Break the claim into excavation, supply, labour, and finishing line items.

Missing previous claim total: Without "total claimed to date", the client cannot reconcile the claims against the contract. Always include it.

Wrong invoice numbers: Progress claims should use sequential invoice numbers from your main invoice series — not numbered separately as Claim 1, Claim 2. Use INV-0042, INV-0043, etc.

No payment link: High-value claims sent without a way to pay online slow down payment. SMASH includes a payment link on every invoice automatically.

Using voice invoicing for progress claims

Describe each progress claim out loud from the job site or van:

"Progress claim for the Hillcrest development. Claim number two. Fifty percent of the agreed contract sum. Work completed to date: excavation and formwork. Previous claim was the deposit."

SMASH builds the invoice, formats the progress claim structure, calculates GST, and sends it from your phone in under 60 seconds. Use the free invoice generator or install the Chrome extension for Gmail to handle client approval emails without switching apps.

Frequently asked questions

What is a progress claim in concreting? A progress claim is an invoice for a portion of a large job, issued at an agreed milestone. It shows the contract total, the previous amount invoiced, the current claim, and the balance remaining.

Do progress claims need to include GST? Yes, if you are GST-registered. Show GST on each individual claim based on the claim amount. Both parties need a tax invoice for each claim.

How many progress claims are normal for a concreting job? For residential work above $5,000, a deposit plus final invoice is typical. For large commercial or development jobs, three to five milestone claims are standard.

Can I use SMASH to generate progress claims? Yes. Describe the milestone and percentage in your voice input and SMASH formats the progress claim with the correct invoice structure, contract total, and claim amount.

What happens if a progress claim is not paid? Your contract should include a provision to pause work until payment is received. Send a payment reminder via the SMASH invoice link. For disputed claims, the payment portal records when the invoice was sent and when payment was made.