Paying a landscaper, how?

[ANiceSliceOfCake]

hi, probably a silly question but how do I pay a workman? We are having landscaping done, it's a big job, circa 7.5k, I've never had such a big job done on the house.

I'm happy with who I've chosen, good reviews, seen his work, had recommendations, but I still don't know them if you see what I mean.

Pay a bit as you go? Pay all at the end? Pay some upfront?

What's normal on a big project like this?

Thanks.

[lalalonglegs]

If he will agree to wait until the end, then that is clearly the best but most tradesmen working on fairly large projects agree to staged payments. So, in your case, you might agree to pay 25% when the patio is laid, for example, another 25% when the fencing has been erected etc or if the work isn't that task specific, you would have to agree on other ways of reaching established stages. You will also have to come to an arrangement about how materials are paid for. It is really important that you check that each stage of the work has been done to your satisfaction before handing any money over.

[lalalonglegs]

It also depends on the amount of the time the work will take. £7500 worth of work that will be done in less than a week, I would expect him to wait until the end of the week but, if he is a one-man band and this represents several weeks' worth of work, I would stage.

[ANiceSliceOfCake]

Ok, staged payments makes sense, there are clear stages too, clear garden, do patio and grass, do fences. I'll probably do that then.

Thank you