Yes
According to Angie’s List, when paying a contractor, you should be careful on how much to pay upfront. They suggest that you should never pay the full costs up front. They suggest that a down payment should however be reasonable to both parties concerned. According to an Angie’s List poll of contractors : It's very common for home contractors to ask for a percentage, say, 30 percent at the start, 30 percent in the middle and the rest at the end, and you should never pay at the completion until you've really looked it over.. [Read: How to Find the Right Contractor for the Job.]. This varies by the contractor. At no time should you pay all money up front. I usually charge 50% up front to schedule and begin work on smaller jobs under $6-8,000 with the remaining due at completion or 50% up front and 1/4 payment midway, the rest when completed. Yes, he needs money to get the project started, but asking for more than 15 percent raises a red flag, and most states allow contractors to ask for a maximum of 33 percent of the total cost up front [source: Chicago Tribune ]. Your contractor should have enough credit to pay the rest of the up-front costs. A: It's not uncommon for contractors to ask for a down payment up front to secure your spot on their schedule or purchase some of the job materials in advance. Asking for more than half of the project cost up front, though, is a big red flag. A reputable and established contractor should have the wherewithal to purchase enough materials to get the job started without relying on your down payment.
http://www.homeownerslife.com/angies-list-recommendation-on-how-to-pay-contractors/ http://money.usnews.com/money/personal-finance/articles/2013/04/24/how-to-spot-a-home-contractor-scam http://answers.angieslist.com/How-pay-general-contractor-prior-starting-job-q43336.aspx http://home.howstuffworks.com/home-improvement/construction/planning/10-red-flags-to-fire-contractor1.htm http://articles.courant.com/2012-06-30/business/hc-ls-contractor-pay-20120630_1_contractor-final-payment-angie-s-list
should you pay a contractor a percent up front