Paying a deposit for materials. How much is fair?

Willis75

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Doozergirl

I don't understand.

If the joiner is invoicing you for the materials and you pay the joiner, then that is supply and fit.  The joiner is responsible for all materials. 

By paying the merchant directly, it's you turning it into supply only.  

comeandgo

You are not being reasonable wanting to pay supplier direct, that can lead to lots of problems if there is any sort of fault.  Your contractor is not being reasonable asking for full materials without warning you earlier that he would need the material costs up front.

Doozergirl

Willis75 said:

Doozergirl said:

I don't understand.

if the joiner is invoicing you for the materials and you pay the joiner, then that is supply and fit.  The joiner is responsible for all materials. 

By paying the merchant directly, it's you turning it into supply only.  

Sorry what don’t you understand?

Quote I accepted and signed with a start date was supply and fit. No deposit requested.

Now 3 days before start date I get a request for me to bank transfer the cost of materials (£2000) so that joiner can now buy materials and have them delivered to his workshop? 

Is that supply and fit, or am I now pre buying the materials so that is fitting charge only with no protection for myself if said joiner decides to run off with my £2000 cash?

The joiner is not supplying the materials. 

I didn't understand your explanation because your thinking is incorrect.  You've just confirmed that for me.  

The joiner *is* supplying the materials because he is charging you for them.  Supply and fit simply means that you pay the tradesperson directly for everything, making them responsible for both the quality of materials and workmanship.  

Whether a deposit is involved is neither here nor there with regard to 'supply and fit', you're just not happy with a deposit.  

It is perfectly reasonable for a tradesperson to want a deposit - if you have used someone before, have a proper invoice and an address then that situation would be fairly secure.  Big companies will take your money for the whole thing before doing anything!  What would you call it when B&Q want the lot upfront before anything is delivered or fitted?  Supply only? It isn't.  

What payment schedule was discussed if this is such a surprise? 

If you don't want to pay a deposit, then employ someone else.   The flipside of your comment about him running off is the joiner asking 'What happens if the client refuses to pay and I've turned these raw materials into something valuable only to them'.  Trust goes two ways.