Stage Payment Schedule Builder

Who this is for

Any UK tradesperson — builder, plumber, electrician, kitchen or bathroom fitter, landscaper, decorator — running a job big enough that you shouldn't be carrying the whole cost until the end. Instead of a vague "deposit now, rest when it's done", this lays out exactly what's due, when, and how much is left to pay at every step — on one page the customer signs before you start. It turns an awkward money conversation into a tick-box.

How should I structure stage payments for a job?

Tie each payment to a visible milestone, not a calendar date, so the customer can always see what they're paying for. A common shape is: a deposit on acceptance to cover materials and lock the slot, a payment when you start on site, one or two payments as key stages complete (first fix, second fix, plastering), and a final balance on completion and sign-off. Keep the final payment meaningful — 15–25% of the total — so there's a real incentive on both sides to finish properly and settle up. Never let the money owed to you fall behind the work you've already done.

How much deposit should a tradesperson take?

Enough to cover the materials you have to buy up front and protect you if the customer walks away, without asking them to fund your whole job before you've turned up. For most domestic work that lands somewhere between 20% and 40%. If a job is materials-heavy — a kitchen, say, where you're ordering thousands of pounds of units — it's reasonable to ask for a larger materials deposit, ideally invoiced against the actual supplier order so it's clearly justified rather than just "a big number". Whatever you pick, write it down and get it agreed before you order anything.

Do stage payments protect me from non-payment?

Partly. Staging the money means you're never badly out of pocket — if a customer stops paying, you stop working, and the loss is limited to the current stage rather than the whole job. A signed schedule also makes expectations clear and gives you something to point to if there's a dispute. But it isn't a guarantee: a payment schedule is a plan, not an enforcement mechanism. The things that actually reduce non-payment are the boring ones done consistently — a proper written quote and terms, invoices that go out the moment a stage completes, and a professional setup that signals you're a real business, not a cash-in-hand gamble. A tidy website, an online booking and deposit system, and automatic invoice reminders do more to get you paid on time than any single document — and that's exactly the kind of thing we build for trades.

Does this tool store my details?

No. Everything — the figures, the schedule and the printout — is built entirely in your browser. Nothing you type is uploaded, saved or sent anywhere, so you can build and print as many schedules as you like.

A note on what this is: this produces a payment-schedule template for convenience. It is not a construction contract and it is not legal advice. Use it alongside your own written terms, and take professional advice for anything you're unsure about.