What is Overbilling?

Overbilling refers to the unscrupulous practice of charging more than what is warranted for materials or services in the construction industry. This can occur when a contractor bills for more material than what was actually used or invoices for labor and time that was not appropriately utilized or not used at all. Overbilling can have serious fiscal impacts on projects and can lead to legal consequences if discovered. The clients have to scrutinize the billings accurately to avoid falling victim to overbilling. Thus, overbilling is not an ethical practice and is discouraged in the construction industry. It not only hurts the client financially but can also damage the reputation and trust between parties involved in a construction project.