Building work. What's the normal amount to pay upfront?

[Blossomhowl]

Having our conservatory started in a few weeks and the builder wants half upfront on the day he starts and the remaining 50% on completion. Dh is not happy about this. Is this the norm with builders? Thanks!

doesn't sound unusual to me.

Yeah its about right, depends on your builder, you may be able to talk them into some upfront for the foundations, then another bung, to get the sides up, followed by another bung for the roof!

no, not normal
but normal to invoice project periodically
so, if project take 4 weeks, and cost £100, then normal to pay £25 after completion of each week

i wouldnt pay anything upfront! maybe in stages after completion of certain works but definitely not upfront

DP is a builder -he says don't pay anything like that up front .
Break it into stages (say quarters?) and pay after each stage. However don't pay final amount until project complete and you are completely happy with everything.
HTH

I bought very old house had loads of work done, building, plumbing, electrics, kitchen, windows and never never paid anything up front, all that everyone requested was full settlement within 30 days of jobs being finished.

I would pay a deposit of say 10% (to allow them to get going, putting your money where your mouth is), and then break it up into stages (25% at a time say), pay each stage in arrears, and then make sure you hold 5% of each stage payment so at the end of the job, you are still holding a retention. I would definitely not pay 50% up front. If he walked away tomorrow, you would be spitting mad and broke!