Guide
How to Ask for a Deposit
Asking for a deposit feels awkward the first few times, then it becomes the most normal thing in the world. It protects your cash flow, and it filters out the clients who were never really going to pay. Here is how to do it cleanly.
Why a deposit is worth it
A deposit does two jobs. It puts working capital in your hands before you spend time and money on the job, and it turns a maybe into a commitment. A client who has paid something is far more likely to show up, make decisions, and pay the balance.
It also quietly protects you from the small share of people who book work with no intention of paying. Those people almost never pay a deposit, so asking for one weeds them out at the start rather than at the end.
How much should you ask for?
For most service work, a deposit of 30% to 50% is normal and easy to justify. Larger jobs with real upfront costs (materials, subcontractors, travel) lean toward 50%. Smaller quick jobs can sit at 25% to 30%.
The simplest split, and the one clients understand instantly, is 50% to confirm the order and 50% on delivery.
Put it on the quotation, in plain words
The trick is to make the deposit part of the offer, not a separate conversation. When it is printed on the quotation, it reads as your standard terms rather than a favour you are asking for.
Wording you can copy: "A 50% deposit confirms the order. The remaining 50% is due on delivery." Adjust the percentage and the conditions to fit the job.
If a client pushes back
Stay calm and matter-of-fact. "A deposit is how I schedule and buy materials for your job" is usually enough. If they still refuse on a larger job, treat it as useful information about how the final invoice might go.
What happens if the job is cancelled
Decide your cancellation policy up front and put it in the same terms as the deposit. A fair and common approach is that the deposit is non-refundable once you have scheduled the work or bought materials, since covering exactly that is what it is for.
State it plainly, for example: the deposit secures your booking and is non-refundable if you cancel within seven days of the start date. Setting the expectation now avoids an awkward argument later, and it makes the deposit read as a normal business term rather than something personal.
