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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Didn't happen in the villages, but rather in Michigan. House remodel project. Wanted 25% down ("to get the job started") and then periodic payments as the work progressed. I researched the builder and could find nothing negative. His sales materials were head and shoulders above the other bids as far as professionalism. Long story short, he does virtually nothing, goes out of business and I lose $70,000. Only then did I find the great advice that you are getting here, DO NOT PAY IN ADVANCE. If he cannot afford to finance his business for 30 days, the business is not very stable. Agree to pay based on how much work has been completed. The only thing I would pay in advance is "custom" supplies that he cannot reuse. And then I would pay it to the supplier.