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What Deposit Should I Ask For?

See how much cash a job ties up before the customer pays again, and what different deposits would cover. The right deposit is your call.

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Your result

Enter your figures to see your result straight away. Nothing is sent anywhere.

How it's worked out

Your upfront costs are added up and compared with a range of deposits. There's no single right percentage.

Cash exposureMaterials + subcontractors + hire + labour + other costs paid before the next payment
Deposit that covers itCash exposure ÷ job price, rounded up to the next whole percent
Each scenarioJob price × deposit %, applied to materials first, then subcontractors, hire, other costs and labour
Still exposedCash exposure − deposit, if the deposit doesn't cover it all

Scenarios shown: the deposit that covers your upfront costs, plus 25%, 30%, 40% and 50%.

Worked example

An $18,000 landscaping job needs $6,500 of materials, $2,500 of subcontractors, $800 of hire and $2,000 of wages before the next payment.

Worked example figures
Job price	$18,000
Upfront costs	$11,800

Worked example results
Cash exposure	$11,800
Deposit that covers it	66%
A 40% deposit	$7,200
Still exposed at 40%	$4,600

A 40% deposit covers the materials and part of the subcontractors. Check any legal limit on deposits for your type of work.

Assumptions

All figures are ex-GST. If you're registered, add GST to the deposit invoice.
Some states limit deposits for certain work, especially residential building work. Check the rules for your work, your state and your contract before you set a deposit.
The scenarios show the maths only. They don't recommend a percentage.
Progress payments can reduce how much a single deposit needs to cover.

This calculator shows the maths of deposit scenarios from the figures you enter. It isn't legal or financial advice. Check the rules that apply to your work and contract.