How much deposit should a tradesperson ask for?

A deposit protects you from being out of pocket on materials and from a customer who books you, then vanishes. Ask for nothing and you're funding their job before you've started. Ask for too much and a cautious customer walks. There's no single right number, but there is a sensible way to decide. Here is when to take a deposit, what it should cover, and how to present it so the customer agrees before any work begins.

When a deposit makes sense

Not every job needs one. A small call-out you'll finish in an afternoon usually doesn't. A deposit earns its place when you're committing money or time before you get paid, or when the job is big enough that a no-show would hurt.

• You're ordering materials specifically for the job, especially anything made to order or non-returnable.
• The job is large enough that blocking out the days carries real risk if the customer pulls out.
• There's a lead time where you're holding the slot for them.
• You're a newer relationship and you want some commitment before you start.

What the deposit should actually cover

Tie the amount to what it's for, not a number plucked from the air. The cleanest way to think about it is: a deposit should cover your genuine up-front outlay and a fair commitment to book the slot. If you're ordering a kitchen, the units cost is a real outlay and a deposit that covers it is easy to justify. A deposit that's really just a chunk of your profit taken early is harder to defend if a customer queries it.

How to set the amount

Work it out from the job rather than applying a blanket percentage to everything. A common approach is to base the deposit on the materials you have to buy plus a modest amount to secure the booking, then sense-check it against the total. For larger jobs, stage payments often work better than one big deposit: an amount to book, a payment at a milestone, and the balance on completion. That spreads the risk for both sides and keeps your cash flow sensible without asking a customer to hand over a lot before they've seen any work.

• Base it on your real up-front costs first, then add a fair booking element.
• For bigger jobs, prefer staged payments over one large deposit.
• Sense-check it against the total: a deposit that feels disproportionate makes customers nervous.
• Whatever you settle on, the customer should see it and agree it before you start.

Always put the deposit on the quote in writing

A deposit you mention on the phone is a deposit you'll end up arguing about. Put it on the quote: the amount, what it covers, and that the balance is due on completion. Agreed in writing up front, it's just part of the job. Sprung at the last minute, it looks like you're moving the goalposts. KeenQuote has a deposit field: fill it in and your quote shows a clear deposit line alongside the total, so the customer sees what's due to book and what's left to pay, with no awkward conversation later.

Keep it fair and keep your reputation

The point of a deposit is protection, not pressure. Customers talk, and a trade known for fair, clearly-stated terms wins more repeat work than one chasing the biggest deposit they can get. Ask for what genuinely covers your outlay and your commitment, show it plainly, and most reasonable customers will have no problem with it.

For where the deposit and payment terms sit within the whole document, see what every professional quote should include. And if you're weighing up whether to commit to a fixed price before you take money, our guide on quote vs estimate explains the difference.