Payment Terms, Deposits & Quote FAQ
Plain answers to the money and paperwork questions buyers ask most: how long a quote holds, what deposit we need, when the balance is due, how to pay, and what happens if your site isn’t ready.
10 days
to approve a quote at firm prices
50%
minimum deposit with most orders
Net 30
balance due after delivery
100%
with order under $5,000 or cart orders
Shipping Boxes and Packaging Supplies
This page covers payment terms, so there is no matching equipment to show. These are real packaging products from our online store, paid in full at checkout like any cart order.
The short version
Every quote we send is governed by our Terms & Conditions. That document is written for lawyers. This page explains the parts buyers actually run into, in the order you run into them: the quote, the deposit, paying the balance, scheduling delivery, and what happens if something changes. If anything here and the full Terms & Conditions ever differ, the Terms & Conditions and your written quote control.
- Quote: approve within 10 days for firm prices, unless a longer hold is written on the quote
- Deposit: minimum 50% when the order is placed; 100% for orders under $5,000 and shopping-cart orders
- Balance: due within 30 days after delivery; 1.5% per month finance charge on unpaid balances
- Taxes: not included in quoted prices, added at invoicing
- Site not ready: 90% billed when delivery is delayed past the agreed install date; storage fee after 30 days
- Changes: approved orders change or cancel only with written consent from both sides
How long a quote is good for
Our Terms & Conditions say a proposal must be approved and submitted within 10 days to ensure firm prices, unless a different period is agreed in writing. Steel, finishes and freight all move, and manufacturers change their own price lists, so we can’t promise a number indefinitely.
An older quote isn’t thrown away. When you come back after 10 days, sales re-checks material and freight before you order. Freight is the line that moves most often. A typical refresh on an older contractor quote leaves the equipment where it was and nudges only the freight.
Price changes between quote and installation
The Terms & Conditions include a price escalation clause. If there is a significant delay or price increase in raw materials, the quote, completion time and scope of work are adjusted to match. We give prompt notice of any price escalation or delay, and the seller may submit a price adjustment at any point between the quote date and installation. A surcharge may also apply if fuel, utilities, parts, supplies, labor or other third-party costs go up. We are not liable for added costs caused by material shortages. In practice, the sooner an order is approved and released, the less exposure there is to these changes.
Deposits and when the balance is due
| Order type | Due with the order | Balance |
|---|---|---|
| Most quoted orders | Minimum 50% deposit | Net balance within 30 days after delivery |
| Orders under $5,000 | 100% of the order | Paid in full with the order |
| Shopping-cart (online) orders | 100% at checkout | Nothing further |
| Direct factory shipments and C.O.M. charges | Per your quote | Billed when we’re notified of shipment |
The deposit is what releases your order to the manufacturer. Until it is in, nothing is ordered and the lead time clock hasn’t started, so a late deposit usually means a later delivery date. Your quote states the deposit and timing for your project.
Merchandise is billed on delivery unless the quote says otherwise, and the net balance is due within 30 days after delivery. A partial delivery doesn’t hold up payment for what has arrived: the Terms & Conditions say no payment is withheld because of partial delivery.
Late payment
Unpaid balances carry a finance charge of 1.5% per month. If an account goes into default, the buyer is responsible for collection costs, including attorney fees and court costs. The seller also holds a security interest in the items supplied until they are paid for.
How to pay, and getting invoices to the right person
The most common reason an invoice is paid late is that it went to the wrong inbox. When you place the order, give us your accounts payable contact and AP email, plus any PO number that must appear on the invoice. We send invoices there directly.
If your organization is tax exempt, send the exemption certificate with the order. Prices don’t include sales, use or other taxes, and applicable tax is added when we invoice. Questions about a specific invoice? Contact us and accounting will help.
When your site isn’t ready: delays and storage
Construction schedules slip. If you need delivery pushed past the original agreed installation date, we store the merchandise for future delivery. Here is how billing works under the Terms & Conditions:
- You’re billed 90% of the total sales price, including tax and shipping, once delivery is delayed beyond the agreed installation date.
- The remaining 10% is billed on delivery or installation.
- If the delay runs more than 30 days, a storage fee of 1.5% per month of the total sales price applies.
We insure products stored in our facilities or in transit on our truck. Once material is on your site, your insurance needs to cover it, including work in progress and stored material.
Other customer-caused delays
The Terms & Conditions also cover delays to delivery, lead times or installation caused by the customer or circumstances within the customer’s control. Common examples are late approvals or missing documentation, scope or specification changes, a site that is inaccessible or not prepared, and rescheduling requests. Extra costs can include storage, labor and equipment standby, crew re-mobilization and the cost of rescheduling. You’ll be told in writing about any expected extra charges, with the cause and a breakdown, and they’re invoiced separately on the standard payment terms. If a completed order misses its pickup or delivery window because a deposit or paperwork is still pending, a storage fee can apply; your rep can give you the rate.
Delivery, installation and the job site
Site condition. The job site must be free and clear of debris before installation. If our crew has to clean, that time is billed at the prevailing wage and added to the invoice.
Site services. Electric current, heat, hoisting and elevator service are provided to us at no charge, along with adequate room to offload, stage and move material.
Hours. Delivery and installation happen during normal business hours, Monday through Friday, 8 am to 5 pm. Overtime at the buyer’s request is billed at 1.5 times the current hourly rate.
Acceptance. Accepting delivery means accepting the merchandise delivered, so check the shipment against the packing list before you sign and note any visible damage on the delivery receipt.
After arrival. Once merchandise arrives on site, the buyer is responsible for loss or damage from weather, other trades, fire or other elements.
Change orders. If you want the installation changed from the original drawing, we issue a change order and the added cost is billed to you.
Warranty. The manufacturer’s warranty is the warranty. We disclaim other warranties, including implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose, and the buyer’s remedy is limited to the manufacturer’s warranty.
Delays beyond our control. We aren’t responsible for delivery delays caused by conditions beyond our control, such as supply chain or transportation disruptions, labor strikes or natural disasters.
Changes, cancellations and chargebacks
Put it in writing
Cancellation requests must be made in writing by the buyer.
Wait for confirmation
A cancellation isn’t effective until we confirm it in writing; that date is the effective date.
Third-party costs
Manufacturer cancellation fees, travel and labor already incurred are the buyer’s responsibility.
Refund or invoice
Those costs come off any refund, or are invoiced if no refund applies.
Once an order is approved and submitted it can’t be cancelled or modified except with written consent from both parties, and we aren’t obligated to approve a cancellation request. Special orders, including custom colors, finishes and specifications, are non-cancellable and non-refundable. Before you dispute a card charge, contact us: starting a chargeback without written notice and a chance to resolve it is a breach of the policy, and related costs can be recovered.
Government, federal and contractor orders
- Ask for a W-9 or other vendor paperwork with the quote request
- State the price-validity period the solicitation requires (for example 60 days) so it is written on the quote
- Federal, state and municipal payment terms are set out before you commit
- If funding is split across POs or fiscal periods, tell us up front so invoicing matches
- Send the line-item description from the RFQ so the quote matches it line for line
- For GC bids, send the plan sheet or highlighted scope and any prior quote number
More on how we support agencies and bases: military and government storage. Budgeting a rack project? See our pallet rack cost and pricing guide. Financing is available on many projects; ask sales when you request a quote, and for in-plant offices see modular building financing and tax benefits.
Ready to lock in a quote?
Send your quote number or project details and we’ll confirm pricing, deposit and delivery timing.
Payment terms and quote FAQ
How long is a quote good for?
I’m taking over a bid from another estimator, or re-bidding a GC job. What do you need?
Can you hold pricing longer, for example for a 60-day government RFQ?
How much deposit do you need, and when?
When is the balance due?
Is there a charge for paying late?
Can I pay by credit card?
What happens if my site isn’t ready for delivery?
Are taxes included in the quote?
Can I cancel or change an order?
Who should the invoice go to?
Do you work with government and federal buyers?
Do you offer financing?
Read the complete Terms & Conditions.
Questions about a quote or invoice?
Call or send us your quote number. We’ll confirm pricing, deposit and payment details.