Collect enough up front to cover your materials and lock the job in. Enter the total and a deposit percent, and this shows the deposit to ask for and the balance due at the end.
Enter the job total and pick a deposit percent.
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The right deposit is simple: it should at least cover the money you have to spend before the customer owes you anything. If you are buying a truckload of material on Monday, a token deposit is not protecting you. For most residential work, 10% to 33% is normal and defensible, with larger jobs breaking into a deposit plus progress payments.
Some states cap home-improvement deposits, so check your own contractor board before you set a house policy. And always put the deposit and balance in writing on the estimate.
Read the full guide: how much deposit should a contractor collect.
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