How to Collect a Deposit From a Landscaping Customer Without Chasing a Check
August 10, 2026 · 4 min read
"Yeah, that works, go ahead and get started" feels like a win, right up until you're a week into waiting on a check that was supposed to show up "early next week." A verbal yes and a deposit in hand are two very different things, and the gap between them is where a lot of jobs quietly stall out or fall apart entirely.
Why "I'll get you a check" is a bigger problem than it looks
The longer it takes to actually collect a deposit, the more the customer's commitment cools off. They've had time to get a second quote, talk themselves out of the scope, or just deprioritize following up on their end. Meanwhile you're the one holding the risk: materials may need ordering, a slot on your schedule is tied up, and none of that is backed by anything until money actually moves.
A bounced or lost check makes it worse. Now you're not just waiting, you're chasing, and chasing a customer for money after they've already said yes is an awkward, unpaid job nobody wants.
Ask for it at the moment they say yes, not after
The fix isn't a better follow-up script. It's changing when you ask. If getting a deposit is part of accepting the quote itself, not a separate step that happens later over text or a phone call, there's no gap for the commitment to cool off in. The customer taps Accept, and paying is right there as part of the same action.
What percentage should you actually ask for
There's no single right number, but a common range is 10-30% depending on how material-heavy the job is. A paver patio or retaining wall where you're ordering pallets of material within days of the yes justifies a higher deposit than a mulch-and-cleanup job with low material cost upfront. Whatever you land on, set it as your default so you're not deciding it fresh on every quote. You can always adjust it for a specific job.
Card beats check, every time
A check requires a trip to the bank, a few business days to clear, and a real chance it bounces or just never arrives. A card payment on an accept-online page is instant, verified the moment it happens, and doesn't depend on the customer remembering to mail something. If you're already sending a digital quote, collecting the deposit digitally in the same motion is the natural next step, not an extra ask.
- Ask for the deposit as part of accepting the quote, not a follow-up step
- Set a default percentage so it's consistent, not negotiated fresh every time
- Weight material-heavy jobs toward a higher deposit
- Take it by card, not check: instant and verified, no trip to the bank
Make it part of how you quote
BayQuote now lets you request a deposit or full payment right on the quote. Turn it on per quote when you send it, or set a default percentage once in Business Settings. Your customer pays by card the instant they accept, and the money goes straight to your own bank account via Stripe. BayQuote never touches the funds and takes zero cut. You just pay Stripe's standard processing fee.