How many installments for decorator

[Feetupteashot]

Hello

We are having a load of building work done which is taking forever. Anyway decorating has started and he's going to do the whole lot, inside and out.

The initial quote was massive, then came down by 20% but he's 1/3 way through the job and saying he needs more cash to get it finished. More than the initial quote discount....

So we're negotiating the final price and may meet him in the middle. But then how should I stage the payments?

There's basically the upstairs which is nearly done
The downstairs which can't start for a couple of months
The outside which I think could be done in a 6 weeks

Guessing I should hold some back for snagging.

Totally losing patience with the whole build. He is doing a good job and probably has bought the paint etc

I've never paid a decorator anything until the job is finished, although oif this is in reality a number of separate jobs I'd pay for each as they are completed.

I don't understand how you're negotiating the final price when you had a discounted quote to begin with ?

A quote is a quote.

How much have you paid him?

Just asked DH who has employed a lot of decorators and he said it would be quite usual to pay half when he's halfway through but then added, 'he may be short of money and if he's doing it well, it's probably worth paying him a third"

You can then pay him two more installments.

Thanks

It's been messed up by lockdown. Builder was on site so he did an undercoat to speed everything up but then had to renegotiate with the decorator....