What a Roofer Can Legally Ask For Up Front
This is the single most useful thing a Sacramento homeowner can know before signing anything, and most people have never heard it.
The rule
California puts a ceiling on the down payment for home improvement work. A contractor can collect $1,000 or a tenth of the contract price, whichever is LESS, and nothing more. The rule is Business and Professions Code §7159.5. It binds every contractor in California, big outfit or one-truck shop.
On a $20,000 roof, the maximum lawful deposit is $1,000 — not $2,000, and certainly not half.
What a compliant payment schedule looks like
- A deposit within the cap, taken at signing
- Progress payments that never exceed the value of work already completed
- A final payment on completion and passed inspection
- Scope, materials and schedule spelled out in writing before any work begins
- Three days to cancel — five if you are 65 or older
Common questions
What's the legal deposit limit on a California roof job?
The cap is whichever number is lower: $1,000, or 10% of your total contract price (B&P Code §7159.5). If a roofer wants a third or half of the job paid before starting, that's against state law.
What if a contractor demands more up front?
Treat it as a warning sign about how the rest of the job will go. You can verify any California licence, and check for complaints, at cslb.ca.gov before you sign anything.