What to do when a customer won't pay your invoice: a guide for Florida contractors

An overdue invoice rarely fixes itself. What works is an order of steps: first make sure everything is right on your end, then move to more formal steps, and keep an eye on the dates the whole time.

Before you reach out, check your invoice

Many invoices go unpaid because of a detail the customer never mentioned. Before you ask for payment, confirm that:

• The amount matches the approved estimate and the signed change orders.
• It reached the right person. With a company or a property manager, the invoice often needs someone else's approval.
• It has everything they asked for: invoice number, due date, description of the work, and photos or a report if they requested them.
• The job is closed out. If a small item is still pending, the customer may be waiting on that to pay.

If something is missing, fix it and resend the invoice. It's the fastest way to get paid.

Step 1: a friendly reminder on the due date

The first message isn't a complaint. It's a reminder with the details at hand so paying is easy:

Hi Carlos, this is Rivera Remodeling. Invoice #1042 for $4,800 for the bathroom is due today. I'm attaching it again. If you've already paid, please disregard this message. Thank you for trusting us!

Send it on the channel where the customer actually answers, which is often WhatsApp or text rather than email.

Step 2: call and ask what's missing

If a few days pass with no answer, call. The key question is "what do you need to process the payment?", not "why haven't you paid me?". That question tells you whether a document or a signature is missing, or whether the customer has a cash flow problem.

Write down what they tell you and the date they promise. A payment promise without a date isn't a promise.

Step 3: put a payment plan in writing

If the customer wants to pay but can't pay it all at once, offer installments with specific dates and confirm it in writing, even in a text message:

• Total amount owed.
• How much they pay on each date.
• What happens if they miss a payment.

A written agreement also serves as proof if the case goes further.

Step 4: send a formal demand letter

If none of that works, send a demand letter. It should include:

• The work performed, the date and the amount owed.
• Copies of the invoice, the approved estimate and the messages where the customer accepted the work.
• A clear deadline to pay.
• The next steps you'll take if there's no response.

Keep the tone firm and respectful. Never use threats or contact the customer at times or in ways that could be seen as harassment.

If you worked on a property: your lien rights in Florida

Florida's construction lien law (Chapter 713) protects those who improve a property and don't get paid. But the deadlines are strict, and if they pass, the right is lost. In general terms:

Document	Who	Deadline
Notice to Owner	Anyone without a direct contract with the owner (subcontractors and suppliers)	Before starting or within 45 days after your first day of work or delivery, and before the owner's final payment
Claim of Lien	Everyone claiming a lien	No later than 90 days after your last day of work or delivery of materials
Copy of the Claim of Lien to the owner	Everyone	Within 15 days after recording it

If you have a direct contract with the owner, you don't need a Notice to Owner, but the law requires other documents before you sue, such as the contractor's final payment affidavit.

Warranty work or punch-list fixes usually do not restart the 90-day clock. That's why it pays to record the real last day of work for every project.

Small claims: up to $8,000

In Florida, debts of up to $8,000 can go through the small claims process in county court. It's simpler than a regular lawsuit, you don't need an attorney, and it usually includes mediation before trial. The official forms and guide are on the Florida Courts website (link in the sources below).

This limit is current as of November 2026. Check the official site before you file in case it has changed.

How to keep it from happening again

Most difficult invoices can be prevented at the estimate:

• Ask for a deposit before starting and set progress payments on large jobs.
• Put in writing the scope, payment terms and due date.
• Get every change order signed before doing extra work.
• Invoice the same day you finish, with photos of the work.
• Schedule the follow-up the moment you send the invoice, not after it's overdue.

To build an estimate that sets all of this up from the start, read our guide on how to write an estimate customers approve fast.

How Kashtree helps

In Kashtree, every invoice has a status, a next step and a date. Payment promises are logged, the assistant drafts the reminder for you to review and send, and your cash only changes when you confirm the money came in. See it in the live demo.