Is it normal to pay a contractor 50% upfront?

Paying a contractor 50% upfront is normal for small jobs, where the deposit mostly covers materials. On larger projects the standard drops: 10% to 30% down with the rest tied to milestones is typical, and several states legally cap deposits, California famously at $1,000 or 10%, whichever is less, for home improvement work.

From the client side, a large deposit is risk; from the contractor side, starting unpaid is risk. Milestone payments split that risk fairly in both directions.

Whatever split you agree on, write it into the contract: deposit amount, what each milestone unlocks, and the final payment trigger. Most contractor payment disputes are not about the total, they are about timing nobody pinned down.

A payment plan contract pins the schedule down in writing for both sides.