Your contractor wants the balance before finishing

Pay for work that's done, not work that's promised. If the final payment is for the finished job, it's due when the job is finished. You can offer to pay for the parts that are done now, and the rest when the last items are closed.

A homeowner asked contractors what to do when their contractor wanted the balance but hadn't finished. It's a common squeeze. The contractor may honestly need the money to pay a supplier or a crew, or may be ready to move to the next job. Either way, once the balance is paid, the work left is the contractor's lowest priority.

What to say

Something like: "We're happy to pay as soon as the job's finished, as the contract says. Here's what's left. If it helps, we can pay for the items that are done now and the rest when the list is closed." That's fair, and it keeps both of you moving.

Check what the contract says

If payments are tied to stages, pay each stage when it's done.
If payments are on dates, the contractor may be within their rights to ask, but you can still ask for the work to match.
Some states limit how far payments can run ahead of the work on home improvement jobs. California, for example, says payments after the down payment can't exceed the value of the work done or materials delivered (CSLB).

Make a list of what's left with the contractor, using the punch list template, so you both agree on what finished means.

If they say they need it to pay suppliers

That may be true. You can help without paying for work that isn't done. One option is to pay the supplier's invoice directly, or with a check made out to both the contractor and the supplier, in exchange for a lien waiver from the supplier for that amount. Your money goes where the contractor says it's needed, it counts toward what you owe, and you're protected against the supplier filing a lien later. See mechanics liens for homeowners.

Paid when it's done

When your contractor uses Everkept, each payment is tied to a stage, and it falls due when you sign that stage off. The final payment is due when you sign off the whole job, so there's nothing to argue about on the timing.

Start a job

This is general information, not legal advice. States differ on what a home improvement contract and its changes must contain. Check with your state’s contractor licensing board or an attorney.