Plumber Invoice Switzerland

Key takeaways

• 8.1% MWST applies to all plumbing services in Switzerland — no reduced rate, no exception.
• The QR-Rechnung has been mandatory since October 2022 for electronic and printed invoices.
• Typical plumber hourly rate in Switzerland: CHF 80–150/h depending on specialisation and region.
• Seven mandatory invoice elements are required per Art. 26 of the Swiss VAT Ordinance (MWSTV).
• MWST registration is mandatory once annual turnover exceeds CHF 100,000; voluntary registration below the threshold pays off because of the input tax deduction on materials, tools and vehicles.

A plumber invoice in Switzerland must show 8.1% MWST (Swiss VAT), include a QR-Rechnung (Swiss QR-bill) payment part and list seven mandatory elements per Art. 26 of the Swiss VAT Ordinance (MWSTV). That applies whether you fixed a dripping tap in a Zurich apartment or installed a complete bathroom renovation in Bern with underfloor heating and a heat pump. Plumbers are not MWST-exempt — every invoice you issue is subject to the standard rate of 8.1%, and once your annual turnover reaches CHF 100,000, MWST registration becomes mandatory.

Thomas, a plumber in Zurich, learned this the hard way. He ran a clean operation — punctual, tidy work, loyal customers — but he billed by scribbling hours and materials on a notepad and sending a PDF without a QR-code payment part. When he followed up on an unpaid invoice of CHF 4,200, the customer had lost the payment information and the invoice had no QR-IBAN. Thomas waited nine weeks for payment and received a stern letter from the ESTV about his missing MWST number. A missing QR-Rechnung and a missing MWST line cost him cash flow and peace of mind.

This guide explains everything a plumber in Switzerland needs for correct invoicing: the seven mandatory invoice elements, the MWST rate of 8.1%, typical hourly rates between CHF 80 and 150 per hour, Akonto (interim/advance payment) invoices for multi-day jobs, travel and emergency costs, and a copy-ready plumber invoice template. If you bill plumbing work in Switzerland, this is your checklist.

Swiss invoicing rules — 7 mandatory elements per Art. 26 MWSTV

Every plumber invoice in Switzerland must contain seven mandatory elements, as set out in Art. 26 MWSTV. Miss one and your invoice is technically non-compliant — which can delay payment and, in rare cases, trigger queries from the ESTV (ESTV invoicing).

The seven mandatory elements are:

1. Full name and address of the plumber — your company name, street, postcode and city. If you operate as an Einzelfirma (sole proprietorship), the registered company name goes here.
2. Full name and address of the customer — the person or company receiving the plumbing work.
3. Invoice date — the day the invoice is issued.
4. Type and scope of the service — a clear description of the plumbing work carried out (e.g. "Renewal of shower installation, incl. mixer tap, siphon and 2m drain pipe").
5. Net amount — the subtotal before MWST.
6. MWST rate and MWST amount — for plumbers that's 8.1%, as a separate line with the calculated amount.
7. MWST number (UID with MWST suffix) — your Swiss VAT number, required once you're MWST-registered.

Since October 2022, the QR-Rechnung has replaced the old red and orange payment slips (ISR). If you send invoices electronically or on paper, the payment part must use the QR-IBAN and QR reference format. Many plumbers still send PDFs without a QR-code part — that's a compliance gap your customers' accounting departments will flag immediately.

Marco, a plumber in Lucerne, had exactly this problem. He sent a business customer an invoice for renewing the sanitary installations in an office building, listed everything correctly, but included a conventional IBAN without a QR code. The customer's accounts payable department let the invoice sit for four weeks because their payment workflow required a QR-Rechnung scan. Marco updated his template that same evening.

Plumber hourly rates in Switzerland — CHF 80–150/h

The typical plumber hourly rate in Switzerland is between CHF 80 and CHF 150 per hour, before MWST. The range depends on specialisation, region and type of work.

Standard vs. specialised rates

• Standard plumbing work (CHF 80–110/h): Tap and mixer tap replacement, drain repairs, WC installation, shower mounting, basic pipe work and routine maintenance. This is the bread and butter of most residential and small-business plumbers.
• Specialised plumbing work (CHF 110–150/h): Heat pump installation, solar hot-water systems, underfloor heating, complete bathroom renovations, commercial and industrial systems, and sanitary installations in old buildings with historic fabric. These jobs require specialised knowledge and certifications and command higher rates.

The hourly rate you charge should reflect your actual cost structure — van, tools, insurance, AHV (Swiss social security) contributions and your target hourly wage. Underpricing to win jobs erodes margins fast; overpricing loses you repeat residential customers.

Material vs. labour — list separately

Separate material costs from labour costs on every invoice. Customers and their accountants expect to see what portion is material (fittings, pipes, valves, boilers) and what portion is your time. Material is typically billed at list price or with a standard markup of 15–25%. Labour is billed at your hourly rate multiplied by the hours worked.

Example of a line-item breakdown:

• Material: 1× Grohe mixer tap (brand) — CHF 180.00
• Material: 4m chrome copper pipe 15mm — CHF 48.00
• Material: 6× press fitting — CHF 32.00
• Labour: 2.5 h × CHF 95/h — CHF 237.50
• Travel costs: 24 km × CHF 0.80 — CHF 19.20

Travel costs (call-out charges)

Most Swiss plumbers charge travel costs as a per-kilometre flat rate (typically CHF 0.70–1.00/km) or a flat call-out fee within a defined radius (e.g. CHF 40–80 flat within 20 km). Distant callouts — say, driving from Bern to a construction site in the Alps — justify a higher flat fee. State your travel rate clearly in your quote and on the invoice so customers know what to expect.

Emergency callouts (out-of-hours service)

Emergency plumbing work after burst pipes, water leaks or heating breakdowns commands a surcharge. Typical emergency callout rates in Switzerland:

• Weekday evenings (after 18:00) — 1.3× to 1.5× standard hourly rate
• Weekends and public holidays — 1.5× to 2.0× standard rate
• Night callouts (22:00–06:00) — 2.0× standard rate, often with a minimum charge of 1–2 hours

Some plumbers add a flat call-out fee of CHF 100–200 on top of the higher hourly rate, especially when emergency materials or special equipment must be kept on standby. Make sure both the call-out fee and the multiplier are shown in your quote terms — surprise prices on the final invoice are the fastest way to lose a customer.

SIA 118 standards for plumbers

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 plumbing work, industry-specific guidelines complement the SIA framework. Adhering to SIA standards signals professionalism — especially on commercial and multi-trade construction projects, where you work alongside roofers or electricians on the same site.

Akonto, partial and final invoices

Most plumbing projects span multiple days. A complete bathroom renovation, a heat pump installation or underfloor heating stretches over days or weeks. A single final invoice at the end strains your cash flow. Akonto invoices ensure money comes 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 (fittings, boilers, pipes, fittings) and secures the customer's commitment.
2. Partial invoices (progress invoices): Issued at defined milestones — e.g. after demolition, after rough-in pipe installation, after fixture mounting. Each covers the value of work completed to date, minus the deposit already paid.
3. Final invoice: Issued after project completion. Reconciles all partial invoices and the deposit, then bills the remaining balance with all materials and labour finalised.

On the final invoice, list every Akonto invoice already paid so the customer sees a clean reconciliation. That avoids disputes and "I thought I already paid that?" conversations. If you work alongside other trades — like a carpenter on a built-in furniture project — you benefit especially from clean phased logic.

Supplier material invoices

When you pre-order materials from a supplier (fittings, boilers, pipes), those supplier invoices land in your accounts payable. During the Akonto 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 orders to projects make this much easier — see our invoicing software and customer management.

Copy-ready plumber invoice template

Below is a copy-ready plumber invoice template with all seven mandatory elements, QR-Rechnung payment details and the 8.1% MWST line. Replace the placeholders with your details.

INVOICE

[Your company name]                        [Your address]
[Street, postcode, city]                  [Your phone]
[UID: CHE-XXX.XXX.XXX MWST]               [Your email]

Invoice no.: 2026-014
Date: 10 July 2026

Invoice to:
[Customer name]
[Customer street, postcode, city]

Service description: Shower installation renewal — removal
of old fittings, installation of new mixer tap, siphon, 4m
drain pipe, seal and wall finish.

MATERIAL
- 1× Grohe mixer tap — CHF 180.00
- 4m chrome copper pipe 15mm — CHF 48.00
- 6× press fitting — CHF 32.00
- 1× complete siphon set — CHF 45.00

LABOUR
- 2.5 h × CHF 95/h — CHF 237.50

TRAVEL (call-out costs)
- 24 km × CHF 0.80/km — CHF 19.20

Net subtotal:                CHF 561.70
MWST 8.1%:                   CHF 45.50
Total due (gross):           CHF 607.20

Payment terms: 30 days net
QR-IBAN: CH00 0000 0000 0000 0000 0
QR reference: 00 00000 00000 00000 00000 00000

[QR-Rechnung 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, MWST rate and amount, UID/MWST number.
• QR-IBAN and QR reference — required for the QR-Rechnung payment part. Generate the QR code with your invoicing tool or your bank's QR-Rechnung generator.
• 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-Rechnung, 8.1% MWST and your company details, Magic Heidi generates it in under 30 seconds from your phone.

MWST rules for plumbers — 8.1% standard rate

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

The 8.1% rate (since January 2024)

Since 1 January 2024, the Swiss MWST standard rate has risen from 7.7% to 8.1%. The increase followed the AHV/IV financing referendum in June 2022. For plumbers, that means:

• Every invoice from 1 January 2024 uses 8.1%
• Work completed before 1 January 2024 but billed afterwards also uses 8.1% if the invoice is issued in 2024 or later
• If you billed at 7.7% in 2023 and the work extends into 2024, the invoice date applies

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

CHF 100,000 threshold — when MWST registration becomes mandatory

You must register for MWST once your taxable annual turnover exceeds CHF 100,000. Below this threshold, registration is voluntary. Most full-time plumbers cross CHF 100,000 quickly — between materials, labour, travel and tools, a single large bathroom project can already bring you close to the threshold.

Voluntary registration below the threshold is worth considering. Registration unlocks the input tax deduction: you recover the MWST you pay on business purchases — your van, plumbing tools, fittings, boilers, pipes and materials from suppliers. For a plumber who buys CHF 25,000 of materials and equipment per year, the input tax deduction at 8.1% brings back around CHF 2,025. That generally outweighs the administrative cost of MWST reporting.

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

How to show MWST correctly on a plumber invoice

Your invoice should show three clear lines:

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

Example:

• Net total: CHF 1,000.00
• MWST 8.1%: CHF 81.00
• Total: CHF 1,081.00

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

How Magic Heidi simplifies plumber invoicing

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

Lean pricing vs. bexio

Magic Heidi costs CHF 25–39 per month. bexio starts at CHF 52 per month and climbs with additional users and features. For a solo plumber or a small two-person operation, bexio's project accounting, payroll management and CRM modules are overkill — you're paying for features you'll never use. Magic Heidi reduces the invoicing workflow to what plumbers actually use: customer list, project-based invoicing, QR-Rechnung, MWST 8.1% preset, Akonto invoices and payment tracking. See the full comparison on our pricing page. If you're looking for an alternative to the established solution, our bexio alternative comparison has the details.

Mobile-first — invoice from the job site

Plumbers don't sit at a desk. You finish a job at 17:00 on a site in Dietikon, pull out your phone and send the invoice before you drive home. Magic Heidi is built mobile-first — the invoicing workflow runs cleanly on a phone screen, with the QR-Rechnung generated and attached automatically. No laptop, no spreadsheet, no "I'll do it when I'm back in the office."

QR-Rechnung native

The QR-Rechnung payment part is generated automatically on every invoice — QR-IBAN, QR reference, QR code, all formatted to Swiss banking standards. No manual QR-IBAN entry, no third-party QR generator, no PDF assembly. If you still have questions about the QR-Rechnung, our guide to creating a QR-Rechnung covers everything.

Project-based invoicing with Akonto invoices

Magic Heidi links invoices to projects, so you can send a deposit, Akonto invoices and a final invoice that all reconcile against the same job. Customer management tracks every customer, project and payment status in one place — see customer management.

MWST 8.1% preset

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

Mini-story: Lena switches to Magic Heidi

Lena, a plumber in Basel, ran her invoicing with Excel and a free QR code generator. She spent three evenings a month assembling QR-Rechnung PDFs and tracking who had paid. After switching to Magic Heidi, she cut that admin to under an hour a month. She now sends invoices from her phone before leaving the site, and customers pay faster because the QR-Rechnung is right on the invoice. Lena pays CHF 25/month. She calculated that her old toolchain cost her about 8 hours of unpaid admin per month — at her own hourly rate of CHF 105, that was CHF 920 of lost time. The investment in Magic Heidi paid for itself within a week.

Conclusion

A plumber invoice in Switzerland needs three things to be compliant: the 8.1% MWST rate, a QR-Rechnung payment part with QR-IBAN and QR reference, and the seven mandatory invoice elements per Art. 26 of the Swiss VAT Ordinance (MWSTV). Your tradesperson invoice should also separate materials from labour, show travel costs transparently and apply the relevant multipliers for emergency callouts. Typical hourly rates sit between CHF 80 and CHF 150 per hour, depending on specialisation and region.

For multi-day jobs, phased billing — deposit, Akonto invoices, final invoice — protects your cash flow. Don't finance a three-week bathroom renovation out of pocket; bill as work progresses. Most Swiss plumbers cross the CHF 100,000 MWST threshold within their first full-time year. So build MWST registration and quarterly reporting into your workflow from the start.

Magic Heidi gives you the invoicing workflow plumbers actually need — QR-Rechnung native, 8.1% MWST preset, Akonto invoices, mobile-first — for CHF 25–39/month instead of bexio's CHF 52+. If you're still assembling QR-Rechnung PDFs by hand or sending invoices without a QR-IBAN, it's time to stop.

Create your first plumber invoice with Magic Heidi →

Sources: Art. 26 MWSTV (Swiss VAT Ordinance); OR Art. 469 (Swiss Code of Obligations — invoice contents); AHVG Art. 2–3 (Swiss AHV Act — self-employed activity); ESTV invoicing; ESTV MWST rates; SIA 118 standards for contractors; ESTV QR-Rechnung requirements (since October 2022); MWST rate change to 8.1% since 1 January 2024.