I've seen it go both ways, honestly. Holding back payment can sometimes create tension, especially if the contractor feels you're questioning their integrity or work quality. Had a client once who withheld payment after a storm repair because they weren't fully satisfied with some minor details. Instead of motivating the contractor to fix things quickly, it actually slowed everything down—contractor got defensive, communication broke down, and the whole thing dragged on way longer than necessary.
On the flip side, clear milestones and partial payments agreed upon upfront usually keep everyone happy. Contractors appreciate knowing exactly what's expected and when they'll get paid. If there's an issue, it's easier to address it openly rather than using payment as leverage later on. So yeah, withholding payment can backfire... better to set clear expectations from the start and keep communication open throughout the project.
Agreed, milestones usually work best. Seen jobs stall out when payments get held back—contractors lose motivation quick. Better to keep things clear upfront, avoids headaches later... learned that one the hard way myself.
"Better to keep things clear upfront, avoids headaches later... learned that one the hard way myself."
Yeah, been there too. Milestones definitely help, but I've also seen contractors rush through stages just to hit payment points. Best to set clear quality checks at each step—keeps everyone honest.
- Milestones are good, but seen plenty of folks tick boxes without real quality behind it.
- Maybe tie payments to passing inspections or third-party checks?
- Curious if anyone's tried that route and how it worked out...
"Maybe tie payments to passing inspections or third-party checks?"
Tried this a couple times on bigger roofing jobs. Worked pretty well actually—inspectors caught minor issues early, and we sorted them before they became headaches. But gotta say, scheduling inspections can slow things down a bit...just factor in some extra time. Overall though, it gave everyone peace of mind, and homeowners seemed happier knowing an independent set of eyes was involved.
