Fitter wants 40% deposit for window job

[veedee]

Probably not the usual query, however I recently got a quote for some double glazing and the fitter has stated that he takes a deposit of 40% before the job.

My works total £1500 but 40% sounded high to me. Therefore I wanted to ask whether this is normal in trade or not?

If not, what would be a suitable come back?

 

[plastic_peanut]

Are you buying the glazing through a separate company? The fitting costs were previously covered in my quote. Would suggest getting a quote elsewhere for comparison. I didn’t have to pay until the job was completed and we were satisfied

 

[crank39]

Bigger firms like the nationals can afford to buy the extrusions up front and keep tens of thousands of pounds of it in stock, they can afford to pay the fabricators, the salesman, the surveyor the fitters all upfront before they even ask for payment from a customer, they can afford to wait for their money. Smaller regional companies and even smaller local companies have to buy their windows in from a larger company, every bodyalong that chain whats their deposit before proceeding with an order.

You only have to read the window fitters forum on FB to see the horror stories where their customers refused to pay once the job was finished even though the installation was fine and had no reason for witholding payment, often with an attitude of 'take me to court then', you can't remove your goods even though you stipulated goods remain the property of XYZ till paid for in full, that means nothing as you can't remove the doors or windows as you'll leave the house insecure, police won't get involved because its a civil matter so the fitter or firm is now out of pocket, which is why some smaller firms, sole traders LTD companies ask for at least the cost of what it costs them to get the frames, if the job goes south for whatever reason at least they haven't got a window/door supplier chasing them just because you might start playing silly buggers, they will of course take a hit on the labour though, some companies want 50% on order, 40% on start and 10% on completion subject to your satisfaction

 

[plastic_peanut]

I read that the fitter was asking for a l deposit and not the supplier.
If they are one and the same I can’t see what the problem is. Surely you have the funds to pay for the work anyway.

 

[crank39]

I read it that if the fitter was asking for a deposit then it wasn't a large national firm, if so the fitters supplier of windows perhaps insists on a deposit from hime before they proceed in making and frames so the fitter has to pass that on and ask for a deposit himself. If the company manufacture, sell and fit their own products then they may not ask for deposit, what they will do though is expect payment to be collected by the fitters on completion

 

[God]

I cannot see why the fitter/supplier should take all the risks. we have done jobs totaling £10'000 with nothing up front only then to be knocked by the customer. There should be trust between both so i say a deposit is fair

 

[johnny2007]

Nowadays I don't book any job unless 50% is paid upfront.
Have enough people waiting for me that the short handed can go on checkatrade if they prefer.
The other 50% must be available on job completed otherwise we remove the material that still belongs to us by contract.
I demolished a porch once because the smartass decided not to pay up.
He called the cops, they arrived, i showed them the contract stating that "material remains our property until job is paid in full", they said "civil matter" and disappeared.
We were still loading the van when the wife arrived.
She went mad and we explained what had happened.
She threw the husband out and made his clothes fly out of the window.
As far as i know she never let him back in.