How much deposit should you pay a tradesperson?

Luke Nixon · 12 June 2026 · 8 min read

Homeowner paying a deposit by card on a laptop, card in hand

Being asked for a deposit is normal, and on most jobs it's nothing to worry about. As a rule of thumb, expect to pay 10% to 25% of the total price – enough to cover the materials the tradesperson has to buy and to secure your slot. Don't agree to more than 25%, be wary of anyone wanting 50% or more upfront, never pay the full amount before work starts – and get it in writing. Pay by card where you can, as it gives you a way to get the money back if something goes wrong. The Federation of Master Builders advises that 10% is reasonable, and that you should think twice before paying more than 25% [1].

That's the short version. Below covers when a deposit is normal, how much is fair, the warning signs, how to hand the money over safely, and whether you can get a deposit back if things fall through.

Is it normal to be asked for a deposit?

Yes. On anything bigger than a quick callout, a deposit is standard practice, and it isn't a red flag on its own.

Most of the time it's there for honest reasons: the tradesperson has to order materials before they can start, and the deposit means they're not buying them out of their own pocket for a job that might fall through. It also holds your place in their diary. The FMB notes it's common for builders to ask for a deposit before a major job, to cover materials, subcontractors and equipment [1].

You won't always need to pay one, though. For small jobs, many tradespeople hold trade accounts with their suppliers and are happy to bill you on completion. And if a deposit is purely to buy materials, Citizens Advice points out you can offer to buy them yourself instead – that way you own the materials if anything goes wrong [3]. A reasonable tradesperson won't have a problem explaining what the deposit is for.

How much deposit should you pay?

There's no fixed legal figure, but the trade and the main consumer bodies land on a clear range:

10% to 25% is normal. The FMB advises 10% is reasonable and not to go above 25% [1]. Citizens Advice says the same – don't agree to more than 25% [3].
25% is roughly the ceiling, and £7,500 a practical cap on big jobs. The Consumer Protection Association's deposit protection scheme only insures a deposit of up to 25% of the price, or £7,500, whichever is lower [4] – so beyond that, your money is harder to protect.
Never pay the whole cost upfront. The FMB is clear on this: a deposit is fine, paying for everything before any work is done is not [2].

The main exception is bespoke or made-to-order materials – made-to-measure windows, a specific worktop, anything cut or built to order. It's reasonable to pay a deposit covering those, because the supplier won't take them back [1]. The key is that the tradesperson can tell you exactly what the money is for.

What's a red flag?

A deposit itself is normal. These are the things that should make you pause:

A demand for 50% or the full amount upfront. The CPA flags this as outside standard practice [5]. There may occasionally be a genuine reason (a large bespoke order), but it's worth questioning.
Cash only. Cash is untraceable and leaves you no proof and no protection. The CPA advises never paying a deposit in cash [5].
No written contract. Never hand over money without a signed agreement setting out the work, the price and the payment terms [5].
Pressure to decide on the spot. A professional won't rush you. If something feels off, it's fine to walk away – and it's worth getting three quotes before any work starts so you've got something to compare.

None of this means assuming the worst. Most tradespeople are honest and a deposit is a normal part of the job – it's about handing the money over sensibly, not treating everyone as a risk.

How to pay a deposit safely

Once you're happy with the tradesperson, a few simple steps protect you:

Get it in writing first. Your quote or contract should state the deposit amount, what it covers, and that the balance is due on completion or at agreed stages. Citizens Advice advises agreeing a schedule of works and payments in writing that you're both happy with [3].

Pay by card where you can. Card is the only payment method with built-in protection if the work goes wrong or the trader disappears. Credit card payments between £100 and £30,000 are covered by Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act, which makes your card provider jointly liable [7]; debit cards aren't covered by Section 75, but you may be able to use the chargeback scheme to reverse the payment [9]. A bank transfer leaves a record that you paid – useful if it ever comes to a dispute – but, unlike a card, gives you no way to get the money back. So a transfer is safer than cash for proof, but not for protection; cash gives you neither [9]. Platforms like Renofy let you pay deposits and stage payments by card rather than by transfer.

Get a receipt for the deposit, and for any materials it covers [3].

Check what protection is in place. For larger sums, it's worth using a trader who's properly vetted, and checking whether the money you pay before work is done is protected. Deposit protection schemes, for example, hold your money in a secure account until both sides are happy with the work [4].

Big jobs: staged payments, not one big deposit

On a large job – an extension, a full refit, anything running over several weeks – you shouldn't be handing over one big lump. The fair structure is a smaller deposit to get going, then staged payments tied to work that's actually been completed.

This is how the standard JCT and RIBA building contracts are set up [8], and it's what Citizens Advice supports – protecting each payment until that part of the work is done [3]. The important principle: you pay for work you can see has been finished, not for work that's still to come. So a typical large job runs deposit → payment once a clear stage is complete → next stage → final balance on completion, sometimes with a small amount (often around 5%) held back for a short period to cover any snagging.

If a tradesperson wants large payments well ahead of the work being done, that's worth questioning – it's the opposite of how the standard contracts are built.

Can you get a deposit back?

It depends, and "non-refundable" doesn't automatically mean you lose it.

Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, a non-refundable term only holds if it's fair and proportionate. If you pull out, the tradesperson can generally keep only what covers a genuine loss they can't recover – for example bespoke materials a supplier won't take back. They're not entitled to keep money they can get back another way, such as standard stock returned for credit or a slot they manage to re-fill [6]. So a blanket "non-refundable" line on the whole deposit may not stand up. Keeping receipts for what the deposit covered makes this much easier to sort out if it comes to it.

This is general guidance rather than legal advice – for your own situation, the CMA's guidance on unfair contract terms is the place to look.

Protecting your money

For peace of mind on bigger jobs, it's worth knowing your options. Deposit protection schemes hold the money in a secure account, and insurance-backed guarantees can cover you if the trader ceases trading partway through [4]. There are also milestone-based systems where your payment is only released as each stage of work is signed off – so the money moves when the work does, and both sides can see where things stand.

That last approach is what Renofy is built around: a shared digital agreement between you and your tradesperson, with payments tied to photo-backed milestones, so you can see the work's been done before the money's released, and both sides are protected.

Renofy gives homeowners and tradespeople a shared digital agreement, with payments tied to photo-backed milestones – so you can see the work's been done before money's released, and both sides are protected.

References

Federation of Master Builders – How to choose a builder (deposit 10% reasonable, no more than 25%, be wary at 50%, made-to-order elements, get receipts). https://www.fmb.org.uk/find-a-builder/ultimate-guides-to-home-renovation/how-to-choose-a-builder.html
Federation of Master Builders – Working with your builder (never pay the whole cost upfront; record deposit payments in writing). https://www.fmb.org.uk/find-a-builder/ultimate-guides-to-home-renovation/working-with-your-builder.html
Citizens Advice – consumer guidance on getting home improvements done (don't agree to more than 25%; offer to buy materials yourself; get receipts; agree a schedule of works and payments in writing; protect staged payments until work is complete). https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/
Consumer Protection Association – Deposit protection scheme (insures a deposit of up to 25% of the price or £7,500, whichever is lower, for up to 90 days; money held in a secure account until both sides are happy). https://www.thecpa.co.uk/trade/trade-deposit-protection/
Consumer Protection Association – How to protect your deposit when hiring a tradesperson (50% or full amount upfront is outside standard practice; never pay in cash; never pay without a signed contract). https://www.thecpa.co.uk/news/protecting-your-deposit/
Consumer Rights Act 2015 and CMA guidance on unfair contract terms – a non-refundable deposit is only enforceable where fair and proportionate; a trader can keep only a genuine, unrecoverable loss, and must reduce that loss where possible (e.g. by re-filling the slot or returning stock). https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cancelling-goods-or-services-guide-for-consumers/cancelling-goods-or-services ; https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2015/15/schedule/2
Section 75, Consumer Credit Act 1974 – for credit card payments between £100 and £30,000, the card provider is jointly liable with the trader, giving you added protection. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/consumer-credit-act
Standard JCT / RIBA domestic building contracts – stage payments are made against work that has been completed, not in advance. https://2pm-architects.co.uk/posts/safely-make-payments-for-building-work/
MoneyHelper and the Financial Ombudsman Service – credit card payments may be recoverable under Section 75, and debit card payments via the chargeback scheme; payments made by bank transfer or cash are not covered by either. https://www.moneyhelper.org.uk/en/everyday-money/credit/how-youre-protected-when-you-pay-by-card ; https://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/consumers/complaints-can-help/credit-borrowing-money/goods-services-bought-credit

Frequently asked questions

Is it normal to pay a deposit before work starts?

Yes, on most jobs above a quick callout. It usually covers materials and secures your slot. For very small jobs it's often not needed.

What's the most I should pay?

Keep it at or below 25% – the figure the FMB and Citizens Advice both point to – or £7,500, whichever is lower, since that's the level a deposit protection scheme will insure. Be wary of anyone asking for 50% or more.

Should I pay a deposit in cash?

No. Cash leaves you no record and no protection. Pay by card where you can – it's the only method that lets you get the money back if something goes wrong – and get a receipt.

Can I get my deposit back if I change my mind?

Possibly. A "non-refundable" deposit only holds if it's fair, and the tradesperson can generally keep only a genuine loss they can't recover, like bespoke materials. They shouldn't keep money they can get back another way.

On a big job, is it normal to pay a large deposit?

No – big jobs should run on a smaller deposit plus staged payments tied to completed work, not one large sum upfront. Paying well ahead of the work is worth questioning.

How do I protect a large deposit?

Use a written contract, pay by card where you can, use a properly vetted trader, and look at deposit protection or milestone-based payment systems that release money as the work is done.