Had a chat with a retired contractor that flipped my thinking on client deposits

I always took a 25% deposit on jobs. Felt like standard practice and covered my materials. Then I talked to this old timer named Ray at a hardware store in Boise last month. He told me he started taking 50% deposits after getting stiffed on a $12,000 kitchen remodel back in 2009. Said the bigger deposit weeds out the tire kickers and forces you to treat the money like it's real from day one. I tried it on a smaller job last week for $3,500 and the client actually seemed more committed, not less. Has anyone else bumped up their deposit percentage and seen a difference in how clients act?

2 comments

2 Comments

skyler_smith8516d ago

And here's the thing nobody talks about - a bigger deposit actually changes how you work too. When I had 25% down I'd sometimes get sloppy on planning, but with 50% on the line I'm triple checking every measurement and material order before I even start. Ray's onto something about it being a two way street where the money keeps both sides honest from the jump.

stella_baker16d ago

Exactly this. That bigger number makes you feel it in your gut, not just in your head. It turns a job from something you plan to do well into something you literally cannot afford to mess up. That psychological shift is real and it changes how you move through every step. The contractor knows you're invested too, so they can't just coast on the assumption you'll be easy to push around. It's like the money sets a tone of seriousness from day one instead of hoping it works out later.