Put the scope and the price in writing.
Send a fixed-price or itemised quote the customer can review and accept online without creating an account. Their response stays with the job, so everyone works from the same agreed scope.
When the scope changes, record it against the job before the work starts rather than after the invoice is questioned.
Plan the stages and the people.
Schedule each stage as a visit on the same job and assign the people doing it. Labourers and apprentices who do not need a login can still have their time recorded by the office.
- Quotes the customer can accept online
- Visits for each stage of the work
- Time recorded for the team
- Stage invoices and recorded payments
Know what went into the job.
Record the materials used and raise purchase orders for what you need to buy. Create invoices as the work progresses and keep track of what is still outstanding.
Close the job with a customer handover record so the customer has a written summary of what was done.