Joinery payment milestones (50/40/10)
Joinery payments split into three: 50% at Design Freeze, 40% on delivery to site, 10% after snagging is cleared. Funds are held in your Beams Account until each release.
Joinery payments split into three milestones, in line with the Joinery Improvement Contract (JIC): 50% at Design Freeze, 40% on delivery to site, 10% after snagging is cleared. Funds are held in your Beams Account until each release.
Why this shape
Joinery is bespoke. The Joinery Partner is buying materials, tooling, and shop time to fabricate items specifically for your project. The 50% at Design Freeze covers the commitment they've made to fabricate; without it, no fabrication starts.
The 40% at delivery covers the build phase — the items are fabricated and arriving on your site. The 10% withhold covers snagging — it's the final lever that makes sure snags get cleared cleanly, since the Joinery Partner can't claim it until you've signed off.
Timing
- Milestone 1 (50%) — paid into your Beams Account at Design Freeze.
- Milestone 2 (40%) — paid on delivery to site, confirmed by your Joinery Partner and your builder receiving and checking the items.
- Milestone 3 (10%) — held until snagging is cleared. Released when you sign off on the joinery.
What "delivery to site" means
Items arriving at your home, accepted by your builder (or by the Joinery Partner's installer), and ready for installation. It does not mean installed — that comes during the build. Some Joinery Partners do their own installation; some hand items to your builder to install. Either way, the milestone triggers on delivery.
Snagging on joinery
Joinery snags work directly between you and the Joinery Partner. The article Joinery snagging in practice covers the path. The 10% withhold gives both sides a clean process to work through.
What this means for you
Plan your cash flow around the three points. Most joinery projects pay 50% well before the build is in full flight, 40% when the items arrive (often around second fix), and the final 10% at sign-off. The Beams Account holds funds the same way as your construction fee.
Related articles
- How a joinery project runs alongside your build
- The joinery design process
- Joinery snagging in practice