What's your down-payement strategy?

[Ryan Willock]

I'd like to see some of the contracts that some of you use. I need to post a mine.

 

[John464]

I don't know if it's just a local Oregon thing, but I heard that people can legally back out of a contract within a certain number of hours or days here.

That's what I heard.

I don't know if it's a fact.

With all the users on here, somebody must know for a fact if that's baloney or for real.

Contracts are legally binding in the US.

A person has a number of days(usually 30) to dispute the workmanship that is outlined in a contract and see to it is resolved according to the details of the said contract. If this can not be done between both parties it goes to arbritation and or lawyers. Prior to the 30 days the customer can legally stop payment on a check, which is commonly confused with legally backing out of a contract. This is only allowed if there is details in the contract that have not been met. If all the details have been met and a customer backs out or refuses to pay it is considered a breach of contract.


Also, A contract is legally binding by the means of verbal, if there is no written contract. If there is both, a written contract superscedes a verbal contract. Proving your case in terms of a verbal contract is much harder to resolve.

 

[CRN Tree]

I was kicking around the idea of down payments. I live about two 1/2 hours from NYC and do a lot of work for city people. They are a good source of work but usually are only there on the weekends and never there when you do the job. They want you to send them a bill and then they'll mail me a check. Have started having a problem with receiving their check. Last job took me three weeks to receive my check. Any thoughts

 

[jbone]

I was kicking around the idea of down payments. I live about two 1/2 hours from NYC and do a lot of work for city people. They are a good source of work but usually are only there on the weekends and never there when you do the job. They want you to send them a bill and then they'll mail me a check. Have started having a problem with receiving their check. Last job took me three weeks to receive my check. Any thoughts

A friend of mine did a pretty big install of stonewalls/pavers for some rich producer from NYC. Total bill $30,000+ they never put a down payment and refused to pay when the job was done exactly according to the contract. He waited weeks before getting a check. Their argument was that his son who is 20yrs old who they thought was a teenager shouldnt have been working there b/c he was "too young" so "how could you expect us to pay $xx,xxx for a childs work?" (Thats why around here we call them cidiots=city-idiots) They are no fly by night operation but its now their policy to require a down payment. Not for the cost of materials or labor but rather for some recourse in case there is a dispute.