Quote:
Originally Posted by GpaVader
I've been reading through a lot of the posts here and most of them say not to pay a contractor until the work is done. While I agree with that we are looking at a landscaper and they want 1/3 down and 2/3 upon completion. Looking for some direction here. He's 2 months out to do the work and I'd feel better giving him the 1/3 just before starting. Comments please....
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Notwithstanding the advice on this forum, there are not many businesses who will purchase materials without some guarantee of payment. 1/3 up front to cover the cost of the shrubs, mulch, or whatever they will be installing doesn't seem unreasonable.
Now that pools are in such high demand it wouldn't surprise me if some installers wanted a down payment to hold your position in line. I would be less comfortable paying that kind of reservation fee but might accept it from a good company that is known to be reliable.
I wouldn't pay a lawn service in advance unless I had used their service, knew their work, felt they were reliable, and was getting a good discount.