What’s a Fair Amount to Pay for Renovation Deposits?

In general, you should never pay more than 20% in upfront deposits for your renovation.

Exceptions: An upfront deposit of more than 20% might be reasonable for minor renovations e.g. kitchen cabinets only.

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Negotiate a Fair Renovation Payment Schedule

To avoid making unnecessary payment upfront, you should negotiate for a payment schedule that is "progressive" in nature.

This means only paying what is essential at each renovation milestone based on actual work completed.

See: What a fair payment schedule should look like.

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CaseTrust-accredited Renovators are required to propose a fair payment schedule

Renovators with the CaseTrust mark undergo rigorous assessment which verifies that it has good business practices.

Working with Renovators with the CaseTrust mark ensures that you’re protected before, during, and after the renovation.

You can check if a Renovator is CaseTrust-accredited here.