A payment schedule tells you what you are buying, step by step, and when the money leaves your account. A schedule that asks for most of the price before any equipment is on site leaves you with little leverage if the work stalls. Before you sign, read the payment terms as carefully as the equipment description.
Know what a deposit is for
Ask what the deposit covers. It may pay for equipment ordered in your name, a site visit, or the provider's scheduling. Find out whether the deposit is refundable, under what conditions, and how long the refund takes. A deposit with no stated purpose is a question to resolve before you pay.
Ask for each payment to name its trigger
A useful schedule lists each payment, the step that triggers it and who confirms the step is finished. Typical steps for a treatment installation include equipment delivery, rough-in plumbing and electrical work, the final connection and a start-up check. Each step should have its own payment and its own proof, rather than one large payment buried in a single milestone.
Check what proof looks like
Proof can be a delivery receipt with the model number, a photo of the installed unit with its connections visible, or a start-up report listing the settings and readings the technician recorded. Ask what document you will receive at each step. If the answer is a verbal assurance, ask for it in writing before you pay.
Clarify who owns the equipment until it is paid for
If equipment is ordered before installation, ask when title passes to you and whether the provider can remove it if payments stop. Get the answer in the contract, not just in conversation. If the terms are unclear to you, have someone you trust read them before you sign.
Pay in traceable ways and keep copies
Use a method that leaves a record, and get a receipt for every payment that names the work it covers. Keep a copy of the signed schedule, every invoice and every proof document in one folder. Cash payments without a written receipt make it hard to show what you paid for.
Hold back the final payment until the system runs
The last payment should wait until the system has been started, the readings have been recorded and you have seen the unit operating in your home. Ask the provider to walk you through the controls and to leave you the start-up report.
Compare schedules across providers
When you compare proposals, line up the payment schedules side by side, not only the totals. For a broader look at how providers are evaluated, see our methodology page, which can help you judge which written commitments matter most.