A builder payment schedule is easier to understand when each stage points to an agreed part of the work and a clear checking process. Keep the scope reference, payment trigger and supporting record together.
Begin with the proposed contract and quotation. A schedule for a short bathroom refurbishment can look different from one for a larger phased interior project. Agree the amounts, timing, checking responsibilities and terms for the particular job before work starts.
Connect every stage to the scope
Words such as “first fix” can mean different things to different people. Identify the room, trade package and drawing revision, then describe what the proposed stage covers. Ask which work or records will be available for its review.
The FMB's guidance on choosing and appointing a builder recommends a written contract with clear payment stages and checking the relevant work before paying. It also recommends retaining payment records. Use your chosen contract and obtain appropriate advice on any term you do not understand.
A practical stage record can support the agreed process. Record how it relates to the contract and who checks it. Use the contractual payment procedure where an invoice, notice, certification or other formal step is required.
Make the payment trigger observable
Describe the agreed work and the evidence that helps the designated person check it. Depending on the package, that might include a joint site review, marked drawing, delivery record or relevant specialist information. Name who supplies and reviews each record.
Distinguish the planned review date from the agreed payment terms. If a date changes, record the reason and deal with its consequences through the project's agreed process. A progress photograph on its own may leave questions about quantities, concealed work or incomplete areas.
A blank milestone record
Use this record alongside the agreed project documents. Copy it for each proposed stage and resolve the empty fields with the other party.
| Record | What to enter |
|---|---|
| Stage identity | Project, stage number, description, quotation or scope reference and drawing revision. |
| Agreed payment basis | Amount or calculation, stated tax basis, payment trigger and applicable contract reference. |
| Included work | Rooms, quantities or work items covered, plus explicit exclusions and dependencies. |
| Evidence and checker | Records required, who supplies them, who reviews them and the review arrangement. |
| Payments already made | Deposit or earlier payment references and how they are accounted for under the agreed terms. |
| Client purchases | Relevant supplied items, delivery status and responsibility for later installation. |
| Changes and open items | Variation references, unfinished work, queries and agreed next actions. |
| Invoice and record | Invoice reference, due terms under the contract, payment record and dated correspondence. |
Keep deposits and client purchases visible
If a deposit is proposed, ask what it covers and how it will appear in the overall account. Record the agreed treatment of any advance purchase, delivery and storage arrangements. There is no percentage split in this example; use the terms agreed for your project.
Keep purchases made directly by the client in a separate supply list. A delivered bathroom suite and the work to install it are different entries to track. Check the account so a product supplied directly is not also treated as a contractor-supplied item without explanation.
An unpriced refurbishment example
Say a kitchen project has a proposed payment stage covering a defined cabinet-fitting package. The owner supplies the cabinets, and a separate supplier templates and fits the worktop. This is a hypothetical example, with no suggested amount, percentage or entitlement.
| Example field | Illustrative entry |
|---|---|
| Scope reference | Kitchen package K-03, drawing revision C; list the cabinet work included in the proposed stage. |
| Review record | Designated checker reviews the agreed cabinet scope and records completed and outstanding items. |
| Open dependency | One client-supplied door is missing; record its reference, delivery owner and installation action. |
| Separate appointment | Worktop templating and fitting remain with the named supplier and their own readiness requirements. |
| Payment question | Apply the actual agreed terms to the stage and open item; record any agreed amendment through the proper process. |
The record makes the question clear: what does this stage cover, and how do the agreed terms deal with the missing item? Settle that question before the invoice arrives, so the meaning of the stage does not change afterwards.
Record changes and completion items
Link additional work to the change record, with its agreed price or valuation basis and any programme effect. Keep it distinct from work already included. Record the proposed treatment of omitted work through the same agreed process.
At handover, connect outstanding items with their responsible person, next action and relevant contractual arrangements. Keep invoices, payment confirmations and correspondence together. If the parties disagree about payment or contract meaning, seek appropriate advice using those records.
Discuss the proposed stages with the scope
Our enquiry-to-handover process explains how the construction package, supply and programme are agreed. For a project enquiry, send the scope and any proposed payment requirements together. This milestone record is an organisational aid. It does not set our terms or replace the project contract.