Guides for paying, and getting paid, for building work

Plain-English guides for UK homeowners and tradespeople, based on advice from Citizens Advice and GOV.UK.

For homeowners

How to pay a builder safelyDeposits, stages and payment methods Builder deposits: what's normal?How much, red flags and safer options Stage payment schedulesExample schedules for three common jobs Escrow for home improvementsHow held payments work

For tradespeople

Getting paid as a tradespersonAvoiding late payment, and what to do next Stage payment schedulesExample schedules for three common jobs