Roofer Invoice Switzerland

Key takeaways

• 8.1% VAT applies to all roofing services in Switzerland — no reduced rate, no exceptions.
• QR-bills replaced red and orange payment slips in October 2022. A regular IBAN works with a Creditor Reference or no reference; a QR-IBAN must be paired with a QR reference. This change does not make a QR code mandatory on every invoice.
• Fees, surcharges and payment terms are negotiated. Obtain a quote for your situation; example amounts are not market data.
• Article 26 of the VAT Act (MWSTG) sets out the required VAT invoice details. The Swiss invoice template helps organise them.
• VAT registration is mandatory once annual revenue exceeds CHF 100'000.00; voluntary registration below this threshold is possible and worthwhile because of the input tax deduction on materials.

QR-bills replaced red and orange payment slips in October 2022. A regular IBAN works with a Creditor Reference or no reference; a QR-IBAN must be paired with a QR reference. This change does not make a QR code mandatory on every invoice.

Fees, surcharges and payment terms are negotiated. Obtain a quote for your situation; example amounts are not market data.

Key takeaways For consistent invoice details and records, use the Swiss invoice template or bookkeeping software. Hypothetical example: amounts illustrate the calculation only. They do not describe a real customer or a guaranteed outcome.

Swiss Invoice Requirements — 7 Mandatory Elements per Art. 26 MWSTG

Article 26 of the VAT Act (MWSTG) sets out the required VAT invoice details. The Swiss invoice template helps organise them.

The seven mandatory elements are:

1. Full name and address of the roofer — your company name, street, postal code, and city. If you operate as an Einzelfirma (sole proprietorship), the registered business name goes here.
2. Full name and address of the customer — the person or company receiving the roofing work.
3. Invoice date — the day the invoice is issued.
4. Type and scope of the service — a clear description of the roofing work carried out (e.g., "Renewal of tile roof covering, 85 m², including underlayment and accessories").
5. Net amount — the subtotal before VAT.
6. VAT rate and VAT amount — for roofers that's 8.1%, as a separate line with the calculated amount.
7. VAT number (UID with VAT suffix) — your Swiss VAT number, required once you're VAT-registered.

QR-bills replaced red and orange payment slips in October 2022. A regular IBAN works with a Creditor Reference or no reference; a QR-IBAN must be paired with a QR reference. This change does not make a QR code mandatory on every invoice.

Roofer Hourly Rates in Switzerland — CHF 90.00–170/h

Fees, surcharges and payment terms are negotiated. Obtain a quote for your situation; example amounts are not market data.

Standard vs. Specialized Rates

• Fees, surcharges and payment terms are negotiated. Obtain a quote for your situation; example amounts are not market data.
• Fees, surcharges and payment terms are negotiated. Obtain a quote for your situation; example amounts are not market data.

The hourly rate you charge should reflect your actual cost structure — vehicle, tools, scaffolding, insurance, AHV (old-age and survivors' insurance) contributions, and your target hourly wage. Underpricing to win jobs erodes margins quickly; overpricing loses you repeat residential customers.

Materials vs. Labor — Show Them Separately

Fees, surcharges and payment terms are negotiated. Obtain a quote for your situation; example amounts are not market data.

Example of a line-item breakdown:

• Material: 300× concrete tiles — CHF 540.00
• Material: 20 m² underlayment membrane — CHF 95.00
• Material: 12m gutter including brackets — CHF 130.00
• Fees, surcharges and payment terms are negotiated. Obtain a quote for your situation; example amounts are not market data.
• Travel: 25 km × CHF 0.80 — CHF 20.00

Travel Costs

Most Swiss roofers charge travel costs as a per-kilometer flat rate (typically CHF 0.70–1.00/km) or as a flat callout fee within a defined radius (e.g., CHF 40.00–80 flat within 20 km). Distant jobs — say, driving from Bern to a construction site in the Alps — justify a higher flat fee. Scaffolding costs often apply separately and can be billed flat or per square meter. State your travel rate and scaffolding flat fee clearly in your quote and on the invoice so customers know what to expect.

Emergency Callouts

Emergency roofing work after storms, hail, or water ingress commands a surcharge. Typical emergency callout rates in Switzerland:

• Fees, surcharges and payment terms are negotiated. Obtain a quote for your situation; example amounts are not market data.
• Fees, surcharges and payment terms are negotiated. Obtain a quote for your situation; example amounts are not market data.
• Fees, surcharges and payment terms are negotiated. Obtain a quote for your situation; example amounts are not market data.

Fees, surcharges and payment terms are negotiated. Obtain a quote for your situation; example amounts are not market data.

SIA 118 Standards for Construction Contractors

The SIA 118 standards provide a framework for the construction and trades sectors in Switzerland, including guidelines for pricing, contract structure, and billing practices. SIA 118 is the standard Swiss contractors reference when structuring multi-trade construction contracts. For roofing work, industry-specific guidelines complement the SIA framework. Adhering to SIA standards signals professionalism — especially on commercial and multi-trade construction projects. The architect invoice guide goes deeper into SIA standards in the context of construction fees, and the electrician invoice article shows how a related trade applies the same standards in practice.

VAT Rules for Roofers — 8.1% Standard Rate

Roofing services in Switzerland are not VAT-exempt. Unlike medical, dental, or educational services (which benefit from reduced or zero rates), roofing work is a standard-taxed commercial service. Every invoice you issue as a roofer includes 8.1% VAT (MWST).

The 8.1% Rate (since January 2024)

• Every invoice from January 1, 2024 onward uses 8.1%
• Work completed before January 1, 2024 but billed afterward also uses 8.1% if the invoice is issued in 2024 or later

Make sure your invoice template and billing software are configured for 8.1%. Outdated 7.7% templates are the most common VAT mistake Swiss roofers make in 2024–2026. The current VAT rates from the ESTV confirm the standard rate of 8.1%.

The CHF 100'000.00 Threshold — When VAT Registration Becomes Mandatory

You must register for VAT once your taxable annual revenue exceeds CHF 100'000.00. Below this threshold, registration is voluntary. Most full-time roofers cross CHF 100'000.00 quickly — between scaffolding, materials, labor, and travel, a single large re-roofing project can already push you over.

Fees, surcharges and payment terms are negotiated. Obtain a quote for your situation; example amounts are not market data.

Read our VAT guide for freelancers for a complete walkthrough of VAT registration, quarterly reporting, and input tax deduction.

How to Show VAT Correctly on a Roofer Invoice

Your invoice should have three clear lines:

1. Net amount — subtotal of materials, labor, and travel before VAT
2. VAT 8.1% — the calculated VAT amount (net × 0.081)
3. Total (gross) — net + VAT, the amount the customer pays

Example:

• Net total: CHF 1'000.00
• VAT 8.1%: CHF 81.00
• Total: CHF 1'081.00

Round VAT amounts to the nearest 5 rappen (Swiss convention). Most billing tools handle this automatically.

Interim and Final Invoices — Project-Based Billing

Most roofing projects span multiple days. A full re-roofing, a flat-roof renovation, or a façade cladding job stretches over days or weeks. A single final invoice at the end strains your cash flow. Interim invoices (Akonto-Rechnungen) keep money coming in as work progresses.

Typical Phased Billing

1. Deposit / advance invoice (Akonto): 20–40% of the quoted total, billed before work begins. Covers pre-ordered materials (tiles, membranes, insulation) and secures the customer's commitment.
2. Interim invoices: Issued at defined milestones — e.g., after underlayment, after tile covering, after gutter installation. Each covers the value of work completed to date, minus the deposit already paid.
3. Final invoice: Issued after project completion. It accounts for all interim invoices and the deposit, then bills the remaining balance with all materials and labor finalized.

On the final invoice, list every interim invoice already paid so the customer sees a clean reconciliation. That avoids disputes and "I thought I already paid that?" conversations.

Supplier Material Invoices

When you pre-order materials from a supplier (tiles, membranes, insulation), those supplier invoices arrive in your accounts payable. During the interim invoice phase, you typically bill the customer for materials at list price or with a standard markup. Track supplier invoices against each project so your final invoice reconciliation is clean. Tools that link purchase orders to projects make this much easier — see our invoicing software and customer management.

Invoice Template for Swiss Roofers

QR-bills replaced red and orange payment slips in October 2022. A regular IBAN works with a Creditor Reference or no reference; a QR-IBAN must be paired with a QR reference. This change does not make a QR code mandatory on every invoice.

INVOICE

[Your Company Name]                        [Your Address]
[Street, ZIP, City]                        [Your Phone]
[UID: CHE-XXX.XXX.XXX VAT]                 [Your Email]

Invoice No.: 2026-014
Date: July 10, 2026

Bill to:
[Customer Name]
[Customer Street, ZIP, City]

Service Description: Garage roof re-covering — 45 m²,
tile covering, including underlayment, counter-battening, and accessories.

MATERIALS
- 450× concrete tiles — CHF 720.00
- 45 m² underlayment membrane — CHF 220.00
- 12m gutter including brackets — CHF 130.00

LABOR
- Fees, surcharges and payment terms are negotiated. Obtain a quote for your situation; example amounts are not market data.

TRAVEL
- 24 km × CHF 0.80/km — CHF 19.20

Net subtotal:                CHF 1'929.20
VAT 8.1%:                     CHF 156.25
Total due (gross):            CHF 2'085.45

QR-bills replaced red and orange payment slips in October 2022. A regular IBAN works with a Creditor Reference or no reference; a QR-IBAN must be paired with a QR reference. This change does not make a QR code mandatory on every invoice.

[QR-bill payment part with QR-code attached]

Thank you for your business.

Notes on this template:

• All seven mandatory elements are present — company name/address, customer name/address, invoice date, service description, net amount, VAT rate and amount, UID/VAT number.
• QR-bills replaced red and orange payment slips in October 2022. A regular IBAN works with a Creditor Reference or no reference; a QR-IBAN must be paired with a QR reference. This change does not make a QR code mandatory on every invoice.
• Payment terms — 30 days net is standard in Switzerland. For new customers, consider 14 days or payment on delivery for the first job.
• Travel and emergency multipliers — shown as separate line items so customers see the breakdown.

If you want this template pre-configured with QR-bill, 8.1% VAT, and your company details, Magic Heidi generates it in under 30 seconds from your phone.

How Magic Heidi Simplifies Roofer Invoicing

Most Swiss roofers don't need a full accounting suite. They need to send a correct invoice from the job site, get paid, and move on to the next job. That's the gap Magic Heidi fills.

Lean Pricing vs. bexio

Compare the features your business needs and consult bexio pricing for current prices. Magic Heidi Free includes 3 invoices and 3 expenses. Pro costs CHF 25.00 a month billed annually (CHF 299.00 a year), or CHF 39.00 billed monthly. See pricing.

Mobile-first — Invoice from the Job Site

Roofers don't sit at a desk. You finish a job at 5:00 PM on a construction site in Dietikon, pull out your phone, and send the invoice before you drive home. Magic Heidi is built mobile-first — the invoice workflow runs cleanly on a phone screen, with the QR-bill automatically generated and attached. No laptop, no spreadsheet, no "I'll do it when I'm back at the office."

QR-bill Native

QR-bills replaced red and orange payment slips in October 2022. A regular IBAN works with a Creditor Reference or no reference; a QR-IBAN must be paired with a QR reference. This change does not make a QR code mandatory on every invoice.

Project-Based Billing with Interim Invoices

Magic Heidi creates QR-bills and quotes, records expenses and tracks payments. Explore the invoicing software.

8.1% VAT Preset

The 8.1% VAT rate is preset. No risk of accidentally billing at the old 7.7% rate. Input tax deduction and quarterly VAT reporting are supported through our VAT guide for freelancers.

Conclusion

QR-bills replaced red and orange payment slips in October 2022. A regular IBAN works with a Creditor Reference or no reference; a QR-IBAN must be paired with a QR reference. This change does not make a QR code mandatory on every invoice.

For multi-day jobs, phased billing — deposit, interim invoices, final invoice — protects your cash flow. Don't finance a three-week re-roofing out of your own pocket; bill as work progresses. Most Swiss roofers cross the CHF 100'000.00 VAT threshold within their first full-time year. So plan for VAT registration and quarterly reporting from the start in your workflow.

Compare the features your business needs and consult bexio pricing for current prices. Magic Heidi Free includes 3 invoices and 3 expenses. Pro costs CHF 25.00 a month billed annually (CHF 299.00 a year), or CHF 39.00 billed monthly. See pricing.

Start creating invoices with Magic Heidi →