We had to pay prior to installation. We used a reputable fabricator, and there was no issue.

I paid after installation. I would never pay for installation on a job before it was completed (but I did pay 50% for fabrication up front). Nor would I ask for final payment on a job before it was completed. If you are locked into this deal, I would pay with a credit card only because they have some built in protections that you won't get with cash or checks. Certified check or money order only BEFORE the install ... forget it!

Go elsewhere if you can't pay by credit card. You, too, need some protection on such a large investment.

If you're not comfortable doing that you may want to go elsewhere. They do that to protect their selves and their cash flow. But at the same time, if they're not reputable you can end up very unhappy. A credit card payment is the safer way to go.

It can be the day of installation, but they won't install until paid by certified check or money order.

Get the certified check, have the OWNER come with the installers and tell him, "Here's your check. When they finish the installation, I will inspect it with you, and if it's a good install, I will hand you the check."

Here's a fabricator's perspective:

Here is a link that might be useful: Tower

During my career in sales (though not in stone fabrication), I never once prepared a contract where 100% was required before completion of the installation UNLESS it was for an existing client with a history of collections issues. I did have the occassional client who was willing to pay all upfront in return for some percentage of discount. Sometimes my financial folks were willing to do so, especially in a month where they had some cash in hand target to hit. I like lazygardens approach actually.

For my kitchen counter, which I got through my KD, I believe it was paid in full before installation. Luckily, the only issue I had was clearly their fault and easily remedied.

I have a carrara counter in my guest bath. I got my slab through a local dealer who's also a fabricator. I paid about 1/3 of the total when I signed the contract. The day my slab was installed, I asked the installer if he needed a check for the balance. He said, nah, they'll send you an invoice. I received one about a week later. I thought they forgot about me! I'm thrilled with my counter and the company I did business with.

That's how it's done around here, except for the places that require 100% at order (like box stores)

"Here's a fabricator's perspective"

Of course it's easy to see the fabricator's perspective ... they don't want to end up without payment and who can blame them for that? But in implementing a pay-up-front policy, it sends the message that they are only concerned with their own peace of mind. Customers who have been burned before aren't likely to feel comfortable with that situation and who can blame them for that either?

In California, there are laws preventing contractors from requesting payment for work they have not yet completed. And the licensing board warns customers not to do it.

the certified check is not a red flag for my area. it was required at all the stoneyard/ fabricators we looked at. however, i was not asked for final payment until after install was completed.

I can see it from both the customer's point of view as well as the fabricator's. Here we paid 50% upfront and the rest after the install. But I probably wouldn't have minded if I had to pay all upfront since the company I used is very reputable.

Do you all remember a month or so ago the person who got her counters and there were some things wrong, so she was advised to stop the check - which she did? Well what if she decided she was never going to like the job, even if the job was done according to industry standards? The fabricator would have been left holding the bag and that just isn't fair.

On the other hand, money is the best incentive to get a job done correctly and so it would certain make a granite installer more likely to do the right thing.

I think it's an interesting question: if you hire someone because he is the low ball bid and the job isn't done according to your high standards (even though it is done according to the installer's best abilities), do you have a right to withhold payment? The nstaller certainly performed and did the best he could, but just not the way you expected.

the certified check is not a red flag for my area. it was required at all the stoneyard/ fabricators we looked at. however, i was not asked for final payment until after install was completed.

A certified check for payment AFTER installation is not so terrible, but if you give the contractor a certified check BEFORE installation you have no recourse you can't stop payment on a certified check. We weren't even asked for the balance at completion of installation - they just sent us an invoice for the balance due in the ordinary course of business (which I paid same day).

I think the contractual acceptance standard needs to be based on industry guidelines/ standards and not on either parties subjective opinion of what looks good or right or what they expected it to be. And definitely not acceptable if the best abilities of the trades person fall short of the industry standard. That said.........it's really difficult to ignore that seam that just doesn't match the way you envisioned even if it is up to "standard".

Regrettably we probably all have a sad story about going with the higher bidder because we thought that would up the odds for a better install than the low bidders.

I paid 50% to my fabricator as they were walking out the door after the install. I was extremely satisfied overall but had a few issues which I noted on the acceptance form. My salesperson called to say they would not be satisfied until I was satisfied. He came out to the house with the owner of the company and took care of my concerns. Now that is a company who would get my repeat business even if they changed their policy to 100% up front - although I doubt they would!

Paying in full for custom products is quite common. If you do your homework on the front end to know you're dealing with a reputable business, that's the hard part. Getting the quality end product is just a matter of course then.