Is 50% deposit too much to ask for?

Why should any tradesman be expected to provide a completely free finance package for a client?? People don't seem to realise that we take a huge risk every time we do this.I for one,will not be offering to put my business at risk by doing this anymore.I have seen a number of tradesmen take big financial hits recently purely because they have taken a client at face value.The trust thing works both ways,and as already mentioned,if you not entirely comfortable with this arrangement then maybe you should find someone else.Im pretty sure though that as time goes by,fewer and fewer tradesmen will be putting themselves at risk by offering the suicidal arrangement that you seek.

Hi, why don't you pay for the materials, or pay for the materials when they arrive on site, and ask for a contract that says at that point you own the title to the materials. Then do staged payments on the completion of certain aspects of the work, holding back say £500 on a satisfactory completion. We all have to eat after all. Some jobs I have done in the past have had a material cost of £20,000 and only £5,000 labor with two months work. What happens is my client changes their mind or goes bankrupt half way through ? It's a double edged sword I'm afraid. Good luck Bob

Depends what they are doing, not every company has an account with suppliers. Just the same as not every company that wants a deposit is going to run away with your money. In this day and age, customers are taking longer to settle their accounts, bank managers are not as sympathetic as they used to be, this can lead to a cash flow problem. The way round this is to ask for a deposit for materials thus reducing your money that is lying out. Realistically if you went to a shop and ordered something they would require a deposit or full payment before they took your order, why should it be any different for your landscaper, he still has to cover the cost of running his van and staff. You have picked this person to carry out the work and would think this was not the first and only quote you have received. What you're now saying is you don't trust your judgement so if you feel unhappy about the situation hire someone else. Good luck Alex

I agree with the first comment, pay for the materials once on site so you know you have something for the money. That's the way I do it with my customers unless the job is over £20000 and then we have contracts. As a rule most reputable tradesmen have accounts and don't need to pay for materials for a month at least and shouldn't need money up front.