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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There are landscapers who will do the job with no payment until they are finished and you are satisfied. That is the best way to go because you have no financial risk and you know that the contractor is properly financed and responsible. But, if you want to pay a third in advance, the only way to do it is with a credit card charge. That way, you have 60 days to dispute the charge if the contractor disappears. Some landscapers will say that they don't accept credit cards, but I think that any responsible contractor should accept them, even if they charge you a small percentage (2 or 3 percent) to pay the bank fee. I would not hire a landscaper any other way.