Pre-funded work phases, smart deposits, and change orders.

Smart Milestone Contracts & Job Management with built-in one-click payment collection

Built for contractors and owner-operated trades businesses. Your client approves the work, payment amounts, and payment method together. You collect each agreed payment before its work begins. Your client can follow progress, check payments, and review completed work in the shared workspace.

Create free account Explore the demo

30-day trial. Stripe processing fees apply. See pricing.

What is a phasecontract?

A phasecontract sets out the job: what you’ll do, what it costs, and when you’ll collect each payment. Your client approves that arrangement and authorizes their payment method.

See what’s finished, what’s paid, and what comes next.

Every phasecontract comes with a shared job workspace. You collect payments and keep the job current. Your client opens their browser link to check progress, payments, and next steps—or respond to a change or completed work. Somewhere to look before texting, calling, or assuming where things stand.

One work phase or several. Deposits when the job needs them.

Example contractor view: completed work, an active phase with an approved change, and the work still ahead. Open full-size screenshot

See how it comes together.

Choose a part of the job. See the actual product.

See one-click collection in action

Define the work, price, and payments. Build it yourself or start with an AI draft.

Describe the job by voice or text and let AI organize a first draft, or build it yourself. Either way, you review and edit the scope, amounts, and terms before sending anything to your client.

AI-assisted proposal draft · Sped up, no audio.
Manual proposal draft · Sped up, no audio.
Example client proposal: a $12,000 deck replacement with two deposits and three work phases. No audio.
Slide1 / 3
  • Give each payment a purpose. Name deposits for costs such as permits or materials. Set out what each work phase covers, its price, and when its payment will be collected.
  • Make the agreement clear. Add reference images, scope notes, expected timing, and cancellation terms. Offer Credit Card or Bank Transfer payment.
  • Keep it as simple as the job. No deposit or several. One work phase or as many as needed. The proposal brings the work and payment arrangement together for your client to review.

You stand behind your work. We’re proud to recognize it.

You’ve built your business through good work and customers who recommend you. That reputation deserves to carry into your next job, especially when a new client is committing money before the work begins.

Example client workspace: the earned badge stays beside the business name. Tap to enlarge. Open full-size screenshot
Example badge details: individual results and review dates. Credentials vary by business. Open full-size screenshot
Slide1 / 2

PhaseContract Verified Business is our recognition of a business we’ve reviewed and believe clients can feel confident choosing. We look at its background, customer reputation and supporting credentials. Businesses that pass earn a badge on their proposals and in the shared workspace.

What clients see

Be proud of the business you’ve built. Let your next client see why.

Your client approves the work, terms, and payment method together.

Your client receives a link to the full proposal: the work, the total price, and what each payment covers. They review the terms and authorize their payment method as part of approving the job.

Example client proposal: a $12,000 deck replacement with two deposits and three work phases. No audio.
Client authorization and shared workspace · Example job, no audio.
Slide1 / 2
  • Have the payment conversation at the start. The amounts and collection timing are agreed with the job. You collect each agreed payment when it’s due, instead of sending an invoice and waiting for the client to pay it.
  • Set expectations on both sides. Your client acknowledges the job’s terms, including the 72-hour review window for completed work phases.
  • Give them a place to follow the job. After authorization, their shared workspace shows deposits, work phases, payment status, and progress. No client account or app to download.

Approving the job authorizes its payments—it does not collect them. Collection happens separately, according to the agreed schedule.

Collect agreed payments before the work—without sending another invoice.

Your client has already approved the amounts, collection timing, and payment method. When an agreed payment is due, collect it in one click from the job workspace. You’re not sending another invoice and hoping they get around to paying it.

Collect an agreed deposit · Example job, no audio.
Collect payment and start a work phase · Example job, no audio.
Slide1 / 2
  • Collect the deposit for its purpose. Permit fees, materials, or another agreed cost: collect that deposit when its payment is due. Its collected status and payment record stay attached to the job.
  • Fund the work before you start it. Collect the agreed work-phase payment before starting that phase. On a multi-phase job, the client funds the work progressively rather than paying for the whole project upfront. A one-phase job has one work-phase payment before it starts.
  • Keep both sides informed. The shared workspace shows what has been collected and which work phase is in progress. The payment and the work stay connected in one record.

These examples use Credit Card, where confirmation is usually immediate; the bank may request extra client verification. Bank Transfer can take up to 4 business days to clear. No money collected, no work phase starts.

Materials, permits, equipment—each deposit has a reason and a collection time.

Instead of one unexplained percentage upfront, give each deposit a name, an amount, and a reason. Your client can see what the money is for before approving the job.

Example addition: lumber collected; concrete and machinery ready to collect.
  • Tie it to a real cost. Materials, permit fees, or equipment rental. Describe what the deposit covers and when you’ll collect it.
  • Agree together. Collect separately. The client authorizes the deposits with the job. Collect each when its agreed payment is due, without starting another payment conversation.
  • Keep the payment history. The deposit’s purpose, amount, status, and collection record stay together in the shared workspace.

The screenshot shows a separate example addition with three named deposits. Use only the deposits your job needs.

Collect before starting. Show the completed work. Give your client a clear review window.

A work phase brings its scope, price, payment, and progress together. Collect before starting, keep the proof as you work, then submit the completed phase for client review.

Example deck job: $1,500 collected for the phase in progress. The next phase has not started. Open full-size screenshot
  • Know what this phase includes. Keep the agreed work and reference images close at hand. Added work belongs in an explicitly approved change order.
  • Show the completed work. Add completion photos and notes before submitting the phase. Your client can review the result against the agreed scope.
  • Give feedback a clear place. The client has a 72-hour review window, with up to three included work-quality revisions within scope. Larger changes can be separately priced and approved.

If the client does not respond within the review window, the phase auto-approves. Review follows collection; it does not release the payment.

Define the extra. Get explicit approval. Collect before doing it.

“While you’re here” can become part of the job without disappearing into text messages. Put the change against the work phase it affects, with its scope, price adjustment, and effect on timing.

Sample change: +$2,800 for extra framing. Pending client approval.
The client reviews the scope and added price before approving. Sample job.
The same change, approved and collected. Preview example, not a customer transaction.
Slide1 / 3
  • Make the extra work explicit. Your client sees what changes and what it costs. A conversation alone does not approve an extra charge.
  • Approval first. Collection next. The client explicitly approves the change. Added-cost work has its own payment collection before you do that work.
  • Keep the decision with the work. The change, approval, and payment status stay attached to the phase, so both sides can see what was agreed.

Somewhere to check progress, payments, and next steps before texting, calling, or assuming.

Each phasecontract comes with a client-facing shared workspace. It gives your client somewhere to check progress, payments, and next steps before texting, calling, or assuming. Your business runs the job there; your client follows it and responds when needed.

The client’s view: work ready to review, with the next phase in sight. Open full-size screenshot
Example bathroom remodel: submitted photos and your review actions stay with the phase. Open full-size screenshot
Slide1 / 2
  • Run the job from one place. Follow deposits, work phases, payments, changes, and completion proof. Assigned team members see the job and actions their role permits.
  • Give your client somewhere to check. They can see what’s finished, what’s paid, and what comes next, approve proposed changes, and review completed work. One browser link, without an account or app.
  • Keep the picture current as you work. You or your assigned foreman add updates and proof to the relevant phase. Your client can follow progress without you relaying every update; decisions and payment history stay with the job too.

Try the workspace yourself.

Explore a sample job. No account needed. No real money moves.

Explore the demo Create free account

Different-sized jobs. The same common-sense process.

Agree on the work and payments. Collect before starting. Keep progress, changes, and client review together. From a room repaint to a home addition, put the money before the work and keep everyone clear on what comes next.

A small job shouldn’t create another evening of admin.

Less payment chasing. A clear agreement and somewhere your client can check the job. A straightforward job stays straightforward.

One room. One clear agreement.

Wall repairs, preparation, painting, and cleanup fit into one $1,500 work phase. The scope says what’s included—and what isn’t—before you pick up a tool.

  • Your client knows what to expect, including the photos you’ll provide at completion.
  • Keep the scope, payment, and client review together instead of piecing them back together after the job.
One agreed job. One work phase. No separate deposit. Open full-size screenshot

Collect once. Get on with the job.

There’s no separate deposit in this example. The full $1,500 belongs to its single work phase, ready for the client to approve with their payment method.

  • After authorization, collect the agreed payment before starting—not by chasing an invoice after the painting is done.
  • The client can choose Credit Card or Bank Transfer here. Bank Transfer work waits until the payment clears.
The complete $1,500 job payment, before client authorization. Open full-size screenshot
Slide1 / 2

Example job before authorization. Tap a screenshot to enlarge.

Living room wall repair and repaint

No separate deposit 1 work phase

See the payment breakdown
Work phase

Each payment collects before that work phase starts.

1. Repair and repaint living room
$1,500
Complete job
$1,500

Deposits are part of the total, not extra charges.

Order the materials. Without becoming the customer’s bank.

The goal: cash-flow positive from day 0. Clear collections for your business. Clear purposes for the client.

Give each deposit a job to do.

A $750 permit deposit and $5,250 materials deposit make the first costs clear. Your client can see why each payment is needed, not just a percentage due upfront.

  • Collect the permit deposit before submitting the application, and the materials deposit before ordering.
  • Agree on those purposes and collection timing at the start, before your business commits the money.
Two named deposits: permits and materials, each with a clear purpose. Open full-size screenshot

Know what the materials payment covers.

The expanded deposit names the lumber, decking, railing, and hardware. The money summary puts its $5,250 alongside the complete $15,000 job.

  • The $6,000 in deposits and $9,000 in work phases add up to the quote—deposits aren’t extra charges.
  • Plan collections around actual commitments, so ordering materials doesn’t mean playing bank for the client.
Materials collection is planned before ordering. Fees shown belong to this example account. Open full-size screenshot

Fund the next step, not the whole deck at once.

Removal, framing, and finishing each have a scope and price. The client agrees to the payment arrangement at the beginning; you collect each amount before starting that phase.

  • $2,000 for removal, $4,000 for footings and framing, and $3,000 for decking, railing, and completion.
  • Give your crew a funded next step and your client a clear view of what’s still ahead.
Three work phases, with their scope and amounts agreed before work begins. Open full-size screenshot
Slide1 / 3

Example job before authorization. Tap a screenshot to enlarge.

Backyard deck replacement

2 purpose-based deposits 3 work phases

See the payment breakdown
Deposits
Permit applicationBefore submitting the application
$750
Deck materialsBefore placing the material order
$5,250
Work phases

Each payment collects before that work phase starts.

1. Removal and site preparation
$2,000
2. Footings and framing
$4,000
3. Decking, railing, and completion
$3,000
Complete job
$15,000

Deposits are part of the total, not extra charges.

A bigger job shouldn’t mean more of your money tied up in it.

Keep control of collections and changes while your team and client follow progress in one shared workspace. More work to coordinate doesn’t have to mean more updates to relay.

Separate the big commitments.

Lumber, concrete, and equipment each have a named deposit. A $75,000 addition can start with clear, purpose-based collections instead of one unexplained upfront amount.

  • Collect for each order or rental when it’s due under the agreed arrangement, before committing that cost.
  • Your client sees what each deposit is for, and your business can plan around those collections.
Lumber, concrete, and equipment: three deposits tied to real job costs. Open full-size screenshot

Keep the whole quote in view.

The money summary separates $22,500 in deposits from $52,500 in work phases. Open the lumber deposit to see its purpose, amount, and collection timing alongside that total.

  • Every deposit is part of the $75,000 price, so there’s no second charge for costs already covered.
  • Keep payment planning attached to the actual job as purchases and work progress.
One $75,000 total, split into deposits and work phases. Fees shown belong to this example account. Open full-size screenshot

Six phases. One repeatable process.

From foundation to interior finishes, each part of the addition has its own payment and work phase. The workspace keeps that larger job understandable one step at a time.

  • Collect each agreed phase payment before its work starts, rather than carrying the work until a final invoice.
  • As work progresses, the team and client can follow completed, active, and upcoming phases in the same workspace.
A six-phase job, organized into individual work phases with their own amounts. Open full-size screenshot

Keep the detail with the work it belongs to.

Open the foundation phase and its scope sits beside the $6,000 payment. Access, layout, excavation, foundation work, and concealed-work photos are defined together.

  • As the phase runs, keep proof photos and any added-cost change orders attached to this part of the job.
  • At completion, submit the work for client review with its supporting record—not a scattered trail of texts.
Open a work phase to see its scope and payment together. Open full-size screenshot
Slide1 / 4

Example job before authorization. Tap a screenshot to enlarge.

Single-story family room addition

3 purpose-based deposits 6 work phases

See the payment breakdown
Deposits
Framing lumberBefore ordering the framing package
$12,500
Concrete packageBefore committing the material order
$6,500
Equipment rentalBefore confirming the rentals
$3,500
Work phases

Each payment collects before that work phase starts.

1. Site preparation and foundation
$6,000
2. Framing and roof structure
$13,000
3. Weatherproofing and exterior
$10,000
4. Electrical and heating/cooling rough-in
$8,500
5. Insulation and drywall
$6,500
6. Interior finishes and completion
$8,500
Complete job
$75,000

Deposits are part of the total, not extra charges.

The job can get bigger. Running it should still make sense.

Illustrative jobs, not pricing tiers or job-size limits. Collection comes before the work; bank payout timing is separate.

Somewhere for your client to check.
Less for you to relay.

Your client can return to the shared workspace throughout the job: follow progress, understand what comes next, and see what needs their attention.

  • Before work: the scope, price, and payment arrangement are there to review.
  • During work: check what’s paid, what’s in progress, and what comes next. Review proposed changes with their scope and price before deciding.
  • At completion: proof photos and a 72-hour review window give the client a clear way to respond.

As you or your foreman keep the job current, your client can consult it before calling, texting, or filling in the gaps themselves. One browser link, no client account or app.

See what your client experiences

The client’s view: work ready to review, with the next phase in sight.

Before your first job.

A few practical things worth knowing.

Do I need to replace my existing software?

No. Keep the tools you use for estimating and accounting. Set out one upcoming job and its payments in PhaseContract, then use its shared workspace for collection, progress, changes, and client review. You don’t need to move your whole business over.

See how it fits your business
What does my client have to do?

Open your proposal link, review the work, amounts, collection timing, and terms, then authorize their payment method. They return to the same shared workspace to follow progress, approve changes, and review completed work. No client account or app to download.

See what your client experiences
When is a collected payment available in my bank?

Collection and bank payout are different steps. Payments are processed through Stripe on your connected account. Credit Card confirmation is usually immediate, though extra verification may be needed; Bank Transfer can take up to 4 business days to clear. Stripe then pays out according to your account’s settlement timing and payout schedule. Your first payout can take longer. The client’s work-review window does not release the payment.

More about collection before work
What does it cost after the trial?

After your 30-day trial, Solo has no subscription and a PhaseContract fee on each collected payment. Subscription plans offer lower transaction fees. Stripe processing fees are separate and apply during the trial too. The trial begins when your payment account is ready—not when you create your account.

Compare plans

Put your next job
on a phasecontract.

You don’t need to move your whole business over. Keep the tools you use to estimate and do the books. Choose one upcoming job, set out the work and payments, and send your client the proposal. One work phase is enough to start.

You can prepare a job draft while payment setup is in progress.

30 dayswith no PhaseContract fee during your trial

Your trial starts when your payment account is ready. No billing card to create an account. Stripe processing fees apply when client payment collects.

Create free account Explore the demo

After trial: Solo has no subscription and a PhaseContract fee on each collected payment, plus Stripe processing. Compare plans.