How Much Deposit Should You Charge?
Deposits protect your cash flow and filter out tire-kickers. Here's how much to ask for by job type.
A deposit covers your material costs and confirms the customer is serious. The right amount depends on the job size and how much you're fronting.
Rules of thumb
Small service jobs: often no deposit. Jobs with expensive materials: 25–50%. Large multi-day installs or custom orders: 50% or the full material cost up front.
Make it easy to say yes
Put the deposit right on the estimate so it's clear what's needed to get on the schedule. BillMaker shows the deposit as a separate line and applies it to the final invoice automatically.
Put it into practice
Build a professional estimate or invoice free, in about two minutes.
Open the generator