Before You Start: How to Protect Yourself Before a Job Begins

Most trades people who lose money on a job lose it because they didn\'t protect themselves before they started. By the time the work's done and the customer won't pay, it\'s too late. You\'re £5k, £10k, £20k out of pocket with no leverage.

This guide covers the two things that protect you before you lift a tool: a signed acceptance letter and a deposit. Do these right and you filter out 90% of problem customers before they become a problem.

Why this matters

Once you\'ve started a job, the power balance shifts. The customer has your time, your materials, and — in some cases — half-finished work they can\'t easily undo. If they decide not to pay, what\'s your leverage? Stop work? You\'re already out of pocket. Chase them for months? You\'re not a debt collector.

The only leverage you have is before you start. If they won't sign an acceptance letter or pay a deposit, you walk away — and you\'ve lost nothing except the time it took to quote.

Get a signed acceptance letter before you start

The idea: Never lift a tool until the customer has signed an acceptance letter. Attach it directly to the quote so it\'s part of the same document — not a separate awkward conversation. If it\'s attached to the quote, signing the quote means signing the acceptance letter. No signature, no start.

Why it works: It commits the customer before money changes hands. If they later dispute the work or refuse to pay, you have a signed document proving they agreed to the scope, price, and payment terms. A verbal agreement protects nobody.

What an acceptance letter is: It's a short section at the end of your quote that says "by signing below, you agree to the following..." and lists the key terms: price, scope, payment schedule, start date, and what happens if they cancel or don\'t pay.

What to include in the acceptance letter

Here's what every acceptance letter should cover:

How to use this: Attach it to the bottom of your quote. When you send the quote, say: "Please sign the acceptance letter at the bottom and return it with the deposit." Simple.

Always take a deposit

The idea: Never start work without a deposit. Standard is 25-30% of the total job value. Bigger jobs (kitchens, extensions, new builds) often require 30-50%.

Why it matters: The deposit isn't just about cash flow (though that helps). It's a commitment test. A customer who's serious about the work will pay a deposit without fuss. A customer who haggles the deposit or says "I\'ll pay you when you start" is telling you how they\'ll behave when the final invoice lands.

What to say when they ask why you need a deposit:

Don't apologize. Don't justify. It's standard. If they push back, see below.

Red flag: The customer who won't pay a deposit

This is the biggest red flag there is.

If a customer kicks up a fuss about paying a deposit before you start, that tells you everything you need to know about how they\'ll behave when the final invoice lands. Here\'s what you\'ll hear:

• "I don't pay deposits. I've never had to before."
• "Just start the work and I'll pay you as you go."
• "I'll pay you half now and half when you're done." (Sounds reasonable but it's not a deposit — it's staged payment, which is different)
• "I need to see some work first before I pay anything."

What this really means: They don't trust you (so why are they hiring you?), or they\'re used to treating trades people as a free bank, or they don\'t have the money and are hoping to find it as the job progresses.

What to do: Walk away. Politely decline the job. You've just saved yourself weeks or months of chasing payment later. The customer who won\'t pay a deposit upfront won\'t pay the final invoice either. It\'s a filter — let it filter.

What if they won't sign the acceptance letter?

Scenario 1: "I don't sign things"
Then you don\'t work with them. A verbal agreement is worthless if it goes to court. Explain: "It\'s standard practice — it protects both of us. The quote lists the work, the price, and the payment terms. By signing, we both know what\'s agreed."

Scenario 2: "Can't we just start and sort this later?"
No. If they won\'t sign before you start, they\'ll definitely argue about scope, price, or payment terms later. This is them testing your boundaries. Hold the line.

Scenario 3: "A quote is legally binding without a signature"
A quote is an offer. It only becomes a contract when both parties agree to it. A signature is proof of agreement. Without it, you\'re in a "he said, she said" situation if there\'s a dispute. Always get it in writing.

What to say:

If they still won't sign, walk away. You're not losing a customer — you're avoiding a problem.

Frequently asked questions