The $50 'good faith' deposit that saved me from a nightmare job

I used to just show up for a quote and hope for the best. After a guy in Mesa had me measure his whole yard for a custom fence, then ghosted me for three weeks, I changed my system. Now I ask for a small deposit before I even draw up the plans. It covers my time if they back out and shows they're serious. Has anyone else found a simple step that filters out the time-wasters?

4 comments

4 Comments

rose_perry122mo ago

Did you read that article about the contractor who started charging a consultation fee? It really cut down on the tire-kickers.

kevinallen2mo ago

Wait, was that a consultation fee or a deposit that went toward the work? I feel like there's a big difference. A fee just to talk seems like it would turn away good clients too. But a small deposit that gets applied if you hire them? That makes way more sense and only filters out the people who were never serious.

nancy_west2mo ago

Yeah, that part about a deposit that goes toward the work is so key, @kevinallen. My friend who does freelance design tried a straight-up fee and it totally backfired, she said it felt awkward. But when she switched to a small deposit, it just stopped the people who wanted endless free advice. The serious ones were totally fine with it.

finleym379d ago

Yeah, I actually read something similar about a plumber who tried this in a forum. @kevinallen, I think whether it works depends on how you frame it. This guy I read about started charging a $50 consultation fee that was refundable if you hired him for the job, and he said it pretty much eliminated the people who just wanted him to diagnose something and then go fix it themselves. But then I also heard about a graphic designer who tried a flat fee to even talk on the phone and it backfired hard because clients felt like they were paying just to see if they liked his vibe. That deposit approach seems way smarter though, like you said, it filters without being rude.