How much deposit should you pay a bathroom fitter?
A bathroom is a wet-trade job with clear stages, which makes it easy to pay in step with the work. Here is what is normal, how to stage payments, and the red flags that mean walk away.
A modest deposit to order the suite, tiles and shower valve is normal for a bathroom, commonly around 10 to 25 percent, because those items have lead times; be wary of a request for much more before the strip-out. Because a bathroom is a wet-trade job with clear stages, the safest approach is to pay in step with them: a deposit for materials, a payment at strip-out and first fix, a payment when the waterproofing and tiling are complete, and a final payment on completion once everything is fitted and working, holding back a small retention for snags. Pay the deposit and larger sums by credit card where you can, because Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 makes the card provider jointly liable for credit-card payments between £100 and £30,000 if the work is not done. Get the staged schedule in writing, tie payments to visible stages not dates, and treat a demand for most of the money up front, or cash only with no invoice, as a reason to pause. This is general information, not legal or financial advice.
Staging payments to a bathroom job
- A deposit to order the suite, tiles, shower valve and any special items, which often have lead times. A modest deposit is normal, commonly around 10 to 25 percent; be wary of much more before work starts.
- A payment at strip-out and first fix, once the old suite is out and the plumbing and electrics are roughed in.
- A payment when the waterproofing (tanking) and tiling are done, the milestone that protects the room from water.
- A final payment on completion, once the sanitaryware is fitted and working, ideally holding back a small amount until snags are put right.
How to pay safely
- Pay the deposit and larger sums by credit card where you can: for payments between £100 and £30,000, Section 75 makes the card provider jointly liable if the work is not done.
- Tie each payment to a stage you can see completed, not to a date on the calendar.
- Get the staged schedule in writing before the strip-out starts, as part of the quote.
- Keep a small retention until the final snags, such as sealant lines and adjustments, are sorted.
Payment red flags
- A demand for most or all of the money before the strip-out.
- Cash only, or a discount for cash with no invoice and no VAT.
- Pressure to pay quickly to hold a price or a slot.
- No written staged schedule, or payments tied to dates rather than to first fix, tiling and completion.
The one rule to remember
Never let the money get ahead of the work. As long as what you have paid roughly matches the stage the bathroom is at, from strip-out to tiling to completion, you keep the leverage to put things right. A reputable fitter is comfortable with that.
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Find a vetted bathroom specialistBathroom deposits and payments: common questions
How much deposit should I pay a bathroom fitter?
A modest deposit to order the suite, tiles and shower valve is normal, commonly around 10 to 25 percent of the total, because those items often have lead times. Be cautious of a request for a much larger share, or the full amount, before the strip-out. The safest structure is a smaller deposit followed by staged payments tied to the stages of the job, with a final payment and ideally a small retention on satisfactory completion.
How should bathroom payments be staged?
Because a bathroom is a wet-trade job with clear stages, payments should follow them: a deposit to order materials, a payment at strip-out and first fix, a payment when the waterproofing and tiling are complete, and a final payment on completion once everything is fitted and working. Tie each to a stage you can see finished rather than to a date, and hold back a small retention for snags.
How can I pay a bathroom fitter safely?
Pay the deposit and larger amounts by credit card where possible, because Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 makes the card provider jointly liable for credit-card payments between £100 and £30,000 if the work is not carried out. Agree the staged schedule in writing before the strip-out, tie payments to visible stages, and keep a small retention for snags. Avoid paying large sums in cash with no invoice.
Should I ever pay a bathroom fitter in full up front?
No. Paying the full amount, or most of it, before the strip-out removes your leverage if something goes wrong, and it is a common warning sign. A reputable bathroom fitter expects a modest deposit to order materials and staged payments as the job progresses through first fix, tiling and completion. If someone insists on most of the money up front, treat it as a reason to pause and ask why.
This is general information for UK homeowners, not legal or financial advice. Section 75 applies to credit-card purchases between £100 and £30,000. If a fitter has taken your money and stopped work, see our guide on what to do if a fitter goes bust mid-job, which applies to any trade. Last reviewed June 2026.
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