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On the payment terms, I hate to give a deposit on a large job because that means I am extending credit to the supplier/contractor but I really don’t have a good way to check their credit. I get laughed at for this, but I’ve seen several significant contractors go under and take a bunch of customer deposits with them (they were using the deposits to pay labor and materials on completed jobs, robbing Peter to pay Paul so to speak). Too common. Just happened to the landscape/hardscape firm locally that was considered the best quality, highest price, etc. Checking references wouldn’t have prevented this, because their customers loved their work. But there is no good way to see their books, and being private I’m not sure you could trust them anyway. I’ve seen it with furniture stores, carpet, and cabinets. So unless I know the firm/people, I prefer zero deposit or will only agree to what I can afford to lose. I’d rather they put a lien on my house than I have to chase them down for my deposit.
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