September 10, 2026 · 8 min read · By Andrew Bernardo

Florida Residential Progress Billing: Schedule of Values Example

Florida residential progress billing is how you avoid fronting 200k on a remodel and hoping the homeowner pays at the end. Most GCs break the contract into 5 to 7 draws tied to inspection points in the Florida Building Code. Each draw gets you paid for work substantially complete, not work you hope to finish next week. Below is a sample 6-draw schedule of values for a 200k residential remodel, the FBC milestones that anchor each invoice, and how I built Workhand to handle this pattern without a desktop and a spreadsheet.

Why Florida residential contractors bill in draws, not one lump sum

Cash flow kills more small GCs than bad estimating. If you bill the full contract value at final inspection, you're financing the entire job out of pocket for 90 to 120 days. Materials, subs, payroll, permits. That works for a 15k bathroom refresh. It does not work for a 200k whole-house remodel.

FL progress payment residential contracts spread the invoice across milestones so you get paid as work completes. The homeowner sees progress before they write the check. You get working capital before the drywall goes up. Both sides win.

The key is tying each draw to a Florida Building Code inspection or a major completion event. Foundation inspection. Framing inspection. Rough-in pass. Dry-in. Drywall and paint. Final CO. Those milestones are objective, the building department signs off, and the homeowner can see the work is done. No he-said-she-said about whether you earned the payment.

Sample 6-draw schedule of values for a 200k Florida residential remodel

Here's how I would structure a draw schedule for a 200k gut remodel in Tampa Bay. Your percentages might differ based on trade mix, but the inspection anchors stay the same.

That's 100% of contract value across 6 invoices. Each one is anchored to an FBC milestone or a major completion event the homeowner can verify. No guessing whether you're 73% done with rough-in.

The FBC inspection points that anchor each draw

The Florida Building Code requires inspections at specific construction stages. Those inspections are your progress billing milestones because they're objective and third-party verified. The building department either signs off or they don't.

Foundation or slab inspection happens after forms are set and rebar is placed, before the pour. This is Draw 2 in the example above. Framing inspection covers wall framing, roof structure, shear connections, and hurricane straps. This is Draw 3, and it usually includes the dry-in sign-off if your jurisdiction combines them.

Rough-in inspections cover electrical, plumbing, mechanical, and sometimes gas. These happen after the systems are installed but before drywall covers them. This is Draw 4. Final inspection is the big one. Building department walks the finished job, checks every outlet, every fixture, every egress window, and either issues the CO or gives you a punch list. CO in hand means Draw 6.

Not every county in Florida sequences inspections the same way. Some jurisdictions split framing and dry-in into two calls. Some combine rough plumbing and rough electrical. Check your local building department's inspection checklist before you write the contract, then match your draw schedule to their milestones.

How Workhand invoices support Florida progress billing without a desktop

I built Workhand because I got tired of opening QuickBooks on a laptop every time I needed to bill a draw. Most small GCs I know are on-site 6 days a week. Billing from your phone matters.

Workhand lets you create a job with a contract value and break it into phases. Each phase is a draw. Foundation phase, framing phase, rough-in phase, finish phase. You track costs against each phase as you go, so you know if you're burning through Draw 3 money faster than expected. When the framing inspection passes, you tap the phase, generate the invoice, and email it to the homeowner. Read receipts tell you when they opened it.

The invoice feature includes line-item detail if you want to show labor, materials, and subs separately, or you can send a single line that says "Draw 3: Framing and dry-in, per contract schedule of values." Either way, Stripe Connect is built in at 2.9% plus 30 cents, so the homeowner can pay by card and the money hits your account in 2 days. No chasing checks.

The job header shows estimated profit as contract value minus costs spent so far. That margin badge updates in real time as you log material receipts and sub invoices. If Draw 4 rough-in is eating into Draw 5 margin, you see it before drywall goes up and you can adjust scope or have the conversation with the homeowner early.

The Field-Office Latency Gap and why mobile-first billing matters

The Field-Office Latency Gap is the time between a job-site event and when the office sees it. For progress billing, that event is the inspection pass. If your building inspector signs off on framing at 2pm Thursday and you don't invoice until Monday because you need to get back to your desk, you just gave the homeowner 4 extra days of float on a 40k draw.

Multiply that across 10 jobs and you're carrying an extra 50k in unbilled AR that you already spent on materials. That's the gap. Mobile-first tools like Workhand close it by letting you invoice from the job site the same day the milestone completes.

I ran a Tampa pool build last spring where the county inspector passed our steel and deck inspection at 10am. I generated the draw invoice from my truck before I left the site, homeowner got the email by 10:15, and she paid by card that afternoon. Money in the account Friday morning. That's how progress billing should work.

Why percentage-based draw schedules beat itemized SOVs for residential

Commercial guys love an itemized schedule of values with 40 line items, one for every trade and material type. That's AIA progress billing and it makes sense when you have a project manager, an accountant, and a draw review meeting every month.

For a 5-person residential crew, that's overkill. You don't have time to reconcile 40 line items against invoices and timesheets every draw. A percentage-based schedule tied to inspection milestones is faster, easier to explain to the homeowner, and just as enforceable.

The homeowner doesn't care if drywall labor is 6.2% and drywall materials are 3.1%. They care that the drywall is hung, taped, and painted before you bill Draw 5. Inspection-based draws give them that clarity without the spreadsheet theater.

If you're a big GC running 50 jobs with PMs and accounting staff, itemized SOVs might be worth it. If you're a 5-person crew and the owner is also the estimator, the PM, and the guy reconciling invoices at night, stick with percentage draws and spend the saved time on the next estimate.

Bill progress draws from your phone, not your desk

Workhand handles Florida residential progress billing with invoices, phases, and Stripe payments built in. No laptop required.

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Frequently asked questions

How many draws should a Florida residential contract include?

Most residential GCs use 5 to 7 draws. Fewer than 5 and you're asking the homeowner to write big checks with long gaps. More than 7 and you're spending too much time on invoicing instead of building.

Can I bill a draw before the inspection passes?

You can write the contract however you want, but tying payment to inspection pass protects both sides. If you bill before the inspection and the inspector fails you, the homeowner already paid for work that's not done.

What if my county doesn't require a specific inspection for one of my draw milestones?

Use substantial completion of a major phase instead. If your county doesn't inspect dry-in separately, tie Draw 3 to "roof and exterior envelope complete, building weather-tight" and document it with photos.

Should the deposit draw cover more than 10% on a large remodel?

Some GCs go as high as 15% or 20% if permit and engineering costs are heavy. Just make sure your contract explains what the deposit covers so the homeowner knows they're not prepaying for framing labor.

What happens if the homeowner doesn't pay a draw on time?

Your contract should spell out payment terms, usually 7 to 14 days after invoice. If they don't pay, stop work and send a notice. Florida lien law lets you file a claim of lien if payment is overdue, but that's a last resort.

Can I use a schedule of values for a cost-plus contract?

Yes. The draw schedule is just a payment calendar. On a cost-plus job, each draw invoice shows actual costs plus your markup percentage instead of a fixed amount.

Do I need to show backup receipts with each draw invoice in Florida?

Not required by law, but some contracts ask for it, especially on cost-plus jobs. If your contract is silent, a summary invoice with line items is enough.

How does Workhand handle retainage if my contract includes it?

Set your final draw percentage to reflect retainage. If the contract holds back 5%, make your first 5 draws total 95% and the final draw 5%, payable after CO and punch list.

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