£615 job - suddenly asked to pay £300 deposit

TiredDonna

Hi, I've always understood that you shouldn't pay up front, but having negotiated this work the terms and conditions he's promised for two weeks have suddenly appeared and there's the first mention of me paying £300 up front for materials.
The job 2 days, £615 for a wooden pagoda that needs four posts sinking in to existing concrete plinth.

What do you think?

Furts

Your tradesman/contractor may not deem you trust worthy, or credit worthy, so wants money up front. Equally they could be con people.

It is up to you to resolve this by negotiation. I would not pay up front for a two day job - the risk of an unknown individual doing a runner comes to mind. There is also the risk of bad workmanship. I would be saying payment on completion, assuming of course that the work is correct.

Think laterally here. If you book your car into a garage for repairs are you asked for money up front before work is undertaken? The answer is no!

Equally you could buy the materials and get the work done on a labour only basis.

traineepensioner

Unusual to request 50% upfront...However, if you do pay for the materials make sure you pay the supplier direct and have the materials delivered to your own address. That way if the tradesman does a runner you'll still have the materials to complete the job.

"Think laterally here. If you book your car into a garage for repairs are you asked for money up front before work is undertaken? The answer is no!" ... but the garage does have your car until payment :-)

Marktheshark

TiredDonna wrote: »

Hi, I've always understood that you shouldn't pay up front

Try it at the supermarket, or at currys for a new TV.
You pay first, then get the goods unless you apply for credit.

The days of tradesmen giving out free credit are all but over, they go bust too quickly if they dish out unchecked credit on trust.

Garages dont need to charge up front, you dont get your car back if you refuse to pay.

If the materials are delivered to site then it sounds perfectly normal.
The rest will be due on completion.

Furts

traineepensioner wrote: »

"Think laterally here. If you book your car into a garage for repairs are you asked for money up front before work is undertaken? The answer is no!" ... but the garage does have your car until payment :-)

I am aware of this which is why I suggested OP buys the materials!

phill99

TiredDonna wrote: »

Hi, I've always understood that you shouldn't pay up front, but having negotiated this work the terms and conditions he's promised for two weeks have suddenly appeared and there's the first mention of me paying £300 up front for materials.
The job 2 days, £615 for a wooden pagoda that needs four posts sinking in to existing concrete plinth.

What do you think?

Who says you shouldn't oay up front? I'll tell you who: Dominic Littlechild and the media. If you go to B&Q, Wickes, Homebase etc and have a kitchen or bathroom installed by them, try telling them that you'll pay when the job us done. They will soon tell you to clear off. They expect all money up front, have a very poor reputation for quality control, but no one bats an eyelid. And these companies have massive cash flows and could easily offer you a credit line but they know better.

So why should a small trader offer you a credit facility?

I run a property maintenance company and have many regular customets who I don't ask for deposits from. If you are a new customer or I have had trouble with you in the past, your paying a deposit. If you don't want to pay a deposit, you ain't getting the work done. How many jobs have I lost as a result? Not one.

We have to stop bashing the small traders. Most traesmen I know simply want to do a decent days work for a days money. There are a few, as there are in every trade or orofession, that are bad apples. But don't judge all tradesmen the same.

TiredDonna

Before anyone had replied to my thread, I'd got back in touch with the trades person to say I would not pay a deposit in advance but suggested that I pay after each stage if he provided a short schedule of work, or at the end of each day. He has said he is happy to agree to this.