Large deposit for small job

parking_question_chap

Evening

I have a small job that needs doing on my house, the tradesman I wanted to do the work (have used before) is not free until end of Jan earliest and its quite urgent so I called in somebody else. We discussed the matter and he seemed to know what he was talking about. I asked about payment and he said for a job this size I should never be paying anything upfront, and I am to pay him on completion.

He quoted me £720 which I thought fair and said he needed my to accept the quote by replying to an email he would send. However in the email it stated in bold that a deposit of £450 would be required before work can commence.

It isnt a bespoke materials kind of job, and there is no explaination as to why this is required. Even worse than the high % deposit its the broken trust issue for me. I now have scenarios in my head where he gets half way through and says something else needs doing.

Can you just reassure me I am correct in getting another person in to quote? Maybe the really bad weather means he cannot complete other jobs and so needs the cashflow, but I am very concerned.

Ruski

Simple: if you feel it's wrong don't do it.

I NEVER ask for deposits.

HTH

Russ

Carrot007

parking_question_chap wrote: »

Evening

I have a small job that needs doing on my house, the tradesman I wanted to do the work (have used before) is not free until end of Jan earliest and its quite urgent so I called in somebody else. We discussed the matter and he seemed to know what he was talking about. I asked about payment and he said for a job this size I should never be paying anything upfront, and I am to pay him on completion.

He quoted me £720 which I thought fair and said he needed my to accept the quote by replying to an email he would send. However in the email it stated in bold that a deposit of £450 would be required before work can commence.

It isnt a bespoke materials kind of job, and there is no explaination as to why this is required. Even worse than the high % deposit its the broken trust issue for me. I now have scenarios in my head where he gets half way through and says something else needs doing.

Can you just reassure me I am correct in getting another person in to quote? Maybe the really bad weather means he cannot complete other jobs and so needs the cashflow, but I am very concerned.

Automated email? Have you queried this back to him since he said there would be no deposit?

TheCyclingProgrammer

What did he say when you asked him about it?

pramsay13

I think you should always get more than one quote for a job.
If his policy is to ask for a deposit first I don't think that's a major issue as a lot of people do, but obviously you've understood him to be saying you wouldn't have to pay anything in advance, so double check with him.

parking_question_chap

I have not replied yet, another man will be around on Tuesday weather permitting to quote. If that goes well I will accept, if not I will go back to the previous and query why such a large deposit if asked for contrary to what was previously discussed.

It was not an automated email, the attachment was pdf with my name, address, description of works and price.

I have no issue with a deposit in theory, but why 62.5% of the total price? and why not just tell me in the first place.

J_B

Give him the benefit of the doubt perhaps?

He just has a quotation template that went wrong perhaps?

Speak to the guy, is the best idea, IMHO.

macman

You don't say what the job is. How much for materials and how much for labour approx?

david1951

As others have said - just speak to him. If you get a bad feeling then kindly decline the work.

FYI, asking for a deposit isn't, in my experience, an immediate red flag. One very good joiner I use (one-man band - small/medium jobs) I pay 50% upfront and then the rest on completion. He says it's for materials, but he may have bills to pay as well. Fine by me, and none of my business. He does a great job and is trustworthy.

Obviously, the first time I used him was a slight risk, but it was small and I went with my gut feeling.

pramsay13

We're in the middle of getting our roof done.
The deposit was around 60% of the total cost, mostly to cover the initial materials outlay.
It was all explained and we were happy to proceed.
I wouldn't choose a tradesman based on the amount of the deposit, I would choose based on reliability and value for money.

parking_question_chap

pramsay13 wrote: »

We're in the middle of getting our roof done.
The deposit was around 60% of the total cost, mostly to cover the initial materials outlay.
It was all explained and we were happy to proceed.
I wouldn't choose a tradesman based on the amount of the deposit, I would choose based on reliability and value for money.

Yes I totally agree, and I am trying to make that very judgement. But the thing is somebody who says nothing to pay up front when speaking face to face, but within a day or so emails a quote asking for 60% up front (with no explaination) doesnt come over (to me) as overly reliable or trustworthy.

Maybe its just I am a man of my word, if I say something it sticks, and I expect the same of others.. Perhaps thats just not very common these days.

If he had set out the deposit is required, and what its for then I wouldnt have had such a problem, its the lack of consistency which is the main issue. Though you read other posts on here that are people saying they have paid deposits and the trader keeps pushing the job back, whats the safest way to pay a deposit? Ask him for bacs details to be provided via his company email?