How Much Deposit Should You Pay a Roofing Contractor?

Payment structure is where most roofing fraud occurs. Understanding standard industry practice before you sign protects you from the most common scam pattern in post-storm contracting.

Standard industry payment terms

• 10–30% deposit at contract signing
• Milestone payments tied to specific stages (materials delivered, tear-off complete, installation complete)
• Final payment only after the job is complete, inspected, and you've done a final walkthrough

What to never do

• Never pay more than 30% upfront — regardless of what reasons are given
• Never pay in full before work begins
• Never pay in cash without a receipt
• Never release the final payment before a final inspection and walkthrough

The storm fraud pattern

After hurricanes, contractors knock on doors, inspect roofs, collect 50%+ deposits citing "material costs" — and disappear. This is the single most common contractor fraud pattern in coastal states. The Florida Attorney General's office investigates hundreds of these cases after every major storm.