Last spring I had to replace all the old drafty windows in our 1960s ranch (ugh, so many surprises with this house). The window company wanted 50% upfront, then the rest when the job was done. Honestly, handing over that much before seeing any work made me a bit nervous, but they said it was standard. Anyone else run into this? Did your installer do it differently, or is that just how it goes?
- Did ours a couple years back, similar setup—50% down, rest on completion.
- They said it covered custom order costs, which kinda made sense.
- Felt risky at first, but I checked their reviews and license before paying.
- Haven’t seen anyone do less than 30% upfront, honestly.
- Wouldn’t hand over full payment before install though... that’s where I’d draw the line.
I get why folks do the big deposits, but honestly, I pushed back a bit when we did ours last spring. The first company wanted 50% up front, but I just wasn’t comfortable dropping that much cash before seeing anything happen. Ended up finding a local guy who let us do 25% to start, then another chunk after the windows actually showed up (which took forever, thanks supply chain), and the rest after install. He said he’d rather have happy customers than chase people for money, so maybe I just lucked out.
I get that custom orders are expensive, but handing over half before they even measure just felt off to me. Maybe I’m paranoid, but I’ve heard too many horror stories about contractors vanishing. I’d rather pay a little more for peace of mind than risk losing a big deposit. But yeah, paying in full before install? That’s a hard nope from me too.
50% up front before they even measure? That’s bold. I’ve been in the game a while, and yeah, deposits make sense for custom stuff, but half before you even see a tape measure is a red flag for me too. The way you did it—some skin in the game, but not enough to have nightmares if things go sideways—that’s smart. I usually recommend 20-30% to start, then staggered payments as actual progress happens. I’ve seen too many folks get burned by “contractors” who disappear faster than my motivation on a Monday morning.
Yeah, that 50% up front before any measuring is a wild move—makes me think of those “pay now, details later” vacation scams. When I did my windows, the company wanted 30% to lock in the order (custom sizes, so I get it), then the rest after install passed inspection. I’d be wary of anyone asking for half before they even know what they’re installing. Maybe it’s just my paranoia, but too many horror stories out there.
That 50% up front thing would make me nervous too. When I did mine, it was 25% down after they came out and measured, then the rest after install. I get putting something down for custom work, but half before they even know what you need? Feels risky. You’re not being paranoid—there’s a reason people get burned.
- I actually did 50% up front for my last project and it worked out fine.
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They measured everything before asking for the deposit, so I felt okay about it."half before they even know what you need? Feels risky."
- Some companies really do need a bigger deposit for custom orders, especially if materials are pricey or special-order.
- It’s definitely a trust thing though—if the company has solid reviews and a detailed contract, sometimes it’s worth the risk for faster turnaround.
- I’d be more worried if they wanted cash or didn’t give receipts... but 50% isn’t always a red flag in my experience.