I get the whole split payments thing, but honestly, I’ve had more luck with the old “materials up front, labor on completion” routine. Here’s why: if I don’t have the cash for shingles and underlayment, the job’s dead before it starts. But I’ve also learned not to ask for the whole thing up front—folks get nervous, and I get it.
Net 30 sounds civilized until you’re sending the third reminder and wondering if you’ll ever see that money.
That’s the part that gets me. I tried Net 30 with a couple of bigger commercial jobs, and let’s just say my bank account was on a diet for way too long. Chasing payments is like chasing a raccoon off the roof—lots of effort, not much reward.
Milestones are great in theory, but sometimes clients want to debate what counts as a “milestone.” I once had a guy argue that “roof dried in” didn’t count until the gutters were up. We went back and forth for a week.
For me, it’s all about clear expectations: materials paid up front, rest when the job’s done. Keeps everyone honest, and I sleep better at night.
Chasing payments is like chasing a raccoon off the roof—lots of effort, not much reward.
That’s a pretty accurate picture. I’ve had to send more than a few “gentle reminders” myself, and it’s never fun. I get why folks like Net 30, but honestly, I’d rather just keep it simple. Materials up front makes sense—nobody wants to be out of pocket for supplies if things go sideways. Had one project where the owner wanted to split every little thing into a milestone... by the end, we spent more time arguing about what counted as “done” than actually getting work done. Sometimes less is more.
That milestone thing gets tricky fast—I've seen it lead to more confusion than clarity, especially when expectations aren’t spelled out in black and white. Upfront for materials just seems practical. Chasing payments is honestly a distraction from the real work.
Totally get what you mean about chasing payments—been there, and it’s a headache. Upfront for materials feels fair, especially with prices jumping around lately. Have you ever had a client push back on that? I’ve found most folks are fine once you explain why.
Had a situation last year where a new client balked at the upfront for materials. They were used to net 30 with their previous guy, and honestly, I get the hesitation—nobody wants to feel like they’re paying for something before seeing any work. But with prices jumping every month, it’s just not practical to float those costs anymore.
“Upfront for materials feels fair, especially with prices jumping around lately.”
That’s exactly it. I explained how I’d been burned before—one job, the client delayed payment for weeks, and by the time I finally got paid, the cost of the same materials had gone up. Ended up eating the difference, which stung. Since then, I’ve just been upfront (no pun intended) about why I need that deposit. Most folks are reasonable once they hear the story, but there’s always the odd one who wants to stick to old habits.
Funny thing is, after that initial pushback, the same client ended up appreciating the transparency. Guess it’s all about setting expectations early, but man, those first conversations can feel awkward.
