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How to collect a deposit when your client approves an estimate

The gap between approval and deposit is where projects fall apart. Tie the deposit to the estimate and your client pays before they close the tab.

5 min read·Updated August 3, 2026

You send the estimate. The client texts back: looks good, let's move forward. Three days later you still don't have a deposit. You're holding their slot on the schedule, you haven't ordered materials, and you've started wondering if they went with someone cheaper. That gap between approval and commitment is where projects disappear. Some clients ghost. Others get a second estimate in the window you gave them. Either way, you're left holding a calendar slot that should have been locked.

The standard fix is sending a deposit invoice after approval. That sounds fine until you watch it play out. Client approves at 2pm on a Tuesday. You send the deposit invoice that evening. They open it Wednesday morning, plan to pay it at lunch, get busy, and by Friday you're sending a follow-up text asking if they got your invoice. Each day of delay is a day the commitment softens. A spouse gets involved who wasn't part of the original conversation. A neighbor mentions a guy who'll do it cheaper. The urgency fades.

The cleaner approach is collecting the deposit in the same session as the signature. The client reads the estimate, signs, and the payment prompt appears before they close the window. No second email. No follow-up invoice. No three-day gap. Here's how to set it up in Homefront Pro.

California limits downpayments on covered home improvement contracts to 10% of the contract price or $1,000, whichever is less. Check your state's limit before setting the amount.

California Business and Professions Code § 7159

A deposit should match your contract, material needs, cash flow, and local rules. Put the amount and refund terms in writing before work starts.

Step by step

  1. 1

    Check your state's deposit caps before setting a percentage

    Some states limit what you can collect before work starts on a home improvement contract. California's Business and Professions Code Section 7159 limits the downpayment to 10% of the contract price or $1,000, whichever is less, and has separate rules for progress payments. Other states have different rules. Check your state licensing board before setting the amount.

  2. 2

    Set the deposit on the estimate or template

    In the estimate builder, turn on Deposit and choose percentage or fixed-dollar mode. For repeat work, save the setting in an estimate template. Check the rules that apply to your work before saving a default in a template.

  3. 3

    Override the deposit on a per-estimate basis when you need to

    Not every project fits the same deposit. In the estimate builder, turn it off, change the percentage, or enter a fixed amount for that estimate. Review the deposit amount before sending so the client sees the terms you intend.

  4. 4

    Send the estimate and let the approval collect the deposit

    Tap Send. The client opens the estimate in the portal, reviews the line items and total, and signs. If a deposit is required, the payment prompt appears after signing. They can choose card or ACH. The estimate becomes approved after the required deposit is paid, and the payment record stays tied to the estimate.

  5. 5

    Check the deposit status before ordering materials or blocking the schedule

    Before you call the supplier or lock in a start date, open the estimate and check the deposit status. ACH transfers can stay pending while they clear. Do not order materials or make commitments based on a pending deposit. Wait until the payment shows as paid.

  6. 6

    Let the deposit carry through to the final invoice automatically

    When the project is done, create an invoice from the approved estimate. Homefront carries the paid deposit into the invoice balance, so you don't subtract it manually. Review the invoice before sending, especially if the scope changed during the project.

Common questions

Related

  • Online payments
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  • Built for roofers
  • Built for general pros
  • Client portal

Sources

  • California Business and Professions Code § 7159
  • Stripe pricing
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