Free tool
How much deposit should you ask for?
Put in the job total and what you buy before it starts. The schedule shows what to collect at acceptance, in the middle, and at completion.
What to collect, and when
Suggested deposit
45%$2,160
- 01At acceptance — books the job and covers material$2,160 · 45%
- 02At completion$2,640 · 55%
The deposit covers your material plus a slice of the labor, never more than half the job. Some states cap deposits on home improvement contracts; check yours before it goes on the quote.
Put the schedule on the quote, with the trigger for each payment, before the customer accepts.
See how invoicing worksA suggestion from your own inputs, not legal advice. Deposit limits vary by state and by contract type.
Why a deposit protects both sides
For you, the deposit covers the material you buy before the crew arrives, so a cancellation does not leave you holding a water heater or forty squares of shingles, and it turns a maybe into a booking. For the customer, a deposit on a written quote is a date on the calendar and a contractor who has committed to it; a schedule tied to milestones means they never pay for a stage that has not happened.
The suggestion here covers the material plus a small share of the labor and never more than half the job. Longer jobs get a progress payment in the middle, so the amount left at the end is one the customer can settle in a day. Some states cap deposits on home improvement contracts, so check your state before the percentage goes on the quote.
How to say it
One line on the quote, before acceptance: what the deposit is, when it is due, and what it covers. Then how to pay it, with a bank transfer offered next to the card for a large amount, because the fee on a five-figure deposit is real money for either side.
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