Guides

How to ask for a deposit

A deposit covers your upfront costs and shows the customer is committed. Asking for one feels awkward until you have a plain way to say it. Here is how.

Why take a deposit

A deposit pays for materials you have to buy before you start, and it reserves your time on the calendar. It also means the customer has made a decision, not just asked a question.

How much

There is no single right amount. A common approach is a percentage of the total, or enough to cover the materials and the first stage of work. Choose an amount you can explain.

Some places cap how large a deposit can be, or require specific wording for home improvement contracts. Look up the rules for your state and trade before you set yours.

When to ask

Ask on the quote itself. When the deposit and its due date are printed next to the total, the customer agrees to them when they accept. Asking afterwards, once they have said yes to a total, feels like a new demand.

What to say

Keep it short and matter-of-fact. You are describing how you work, not asking for a favor.

When you hand over the quote
I ask for a deposit to reserve the dates and cover the materials. It's on the quote, and it comes off your final bill.

If they push back

Stay calm and explain what the deposit does. If you are willing to be flexible, do it in a way that still protects you.

  • Explain what it covers: 'It pays for the materials I order before we start.'
  • Offer a smaller deposit with a payment at a set stage of the work, instead of dropping it.
  • If they will not pay any deposit and it makes you uneasy, it is fine to decline the job.

How to take it

Make paying simple. A card or bank payment through a link they can open on their phone is easier than a check in the mail, and it leaves a record for both of you. Whatever you use, give a receipt or a written confirmation.

Put the deposit in writing, with the amount, the date and what happens to it if the job is cancelled, and credit it on the final invoice so the customer sees it was counted.

Free template to go with this

Or let QuoteDash do it

QuoteDash adds a deposit to any quote, as a percentage or a fixed amount. Your customer can pay it by card or bank right after they accept, and it comes off the final invoice automatically.

Create your account

Free for 14 days, no card needed. Then $29/month.

Questions

How big should a deposit be?
That is your decision, and some places limit it. A common approach is a percentage of the total, or enough to cover materials. Check the rules where you work.
Do I need a contract for a deposit?
Put it in writing at least on the quote or an agreement both of you accept. Rules for contracts differ by state and trade, and this guide is not legal advice, so check locally.
What if the customer cancels?
Decide before the job what happens to the deposit, write it down, and check what your state allows. Our free deposit agreement template has a place for it.

This guide is general information for tradespeople, not legal or financial advice. Rules differ by state and by trade, so check what applies where you work.