Originally Posted by **********

NEVER a full payment.

What you want to do is work out a payment schedule and a delivery schedule with milestones.

For example, if a project costs $10,000 and is expected to take 4 weeks to complete, you break the project up into 4 payments of $2500 each.

The first payment is made as the deposit for the first week.

The second payment is made 2 weeks later, not 1 week later, and only after a milestone is reached. Something they can demonstrate to you, etc. You have now paid 50%.

No payment is made on the 3rd week.

The final payment of 50% is made on the 4th week, or when the job is completed to your satisfaction.

Doing it this way protects you, and also keeps your freelancer working hard for you. If you pay them all up front, there is less motivation to complete the job for you on time.