Build a project payment schedule your client can understand and your cash flow can survive.
Project stages
Rename, reorder, or switch each stage between a percent and fixed amount.
Stage 1$8,500.00
Stage 2$8,500.00
Stage 3$8,500.00
Stage 4$17,000.00
Stage 5$12,750.00
Stage 6$8,500.00
Stage 7$12,750.00
Stage 8$4,250.00
Stage 9$4,250.00
Field note
Payment timing is part of your price.
A schedule is more than a list of dates. It sets expectations for mobilization, material purchases, completed work, retainage, and the final handoff. Tie each draw to a visible milestone and make sure the math reconciles before you send it.
Estimate only. Verify your inputs against current supplier quotes, local requirements, signed scope, and your own accounting. Taplin does not provide legal, tax, or financial advice.
Contractor field notes
Build and reconcile a construction payment schedule
A payment schedule divides a contract total into named stages, expressed either as a percentage of the total or as a fixed dollar amount. The useful check is the sum of all stage amounts against the contract total. This calculator reports the difference and considers a schedule balanced when the difference is less than one cent in absolute value.
The practical payment-stage formula
Percentage stage amount = contract total × stage percentage ÷ 100. Fixed stage amount = entered amount. Total scheduled = sum of all stage amounts. Difference = contract total − total scheduled.
Worked example
For a $24,000 contract, a 20% start stage is $24,000 × 0.20 = $4,800. Add a fixed $7,200 rough-in stage and a 50% completion stage of $12,000. The schedule totals $4,800 + $7,200 + $12,000 = $24,000, so the difference is $0 and the stages reconcile to the entered contract total.
Common estimating pitfalls
01Use clear names and verify that each stage amount represents the intended milestone or payment event.
02Percentages are each calculated from the full contract amount, not from the remaining unpaid balance after earlier stages.
03A fixed-amount stage can make the total unbalanced even when the percentage stages appear complete; review the displayed difference before relying on the schedule.
Frequently asked questions
Are percentages calculated against the remaining balance?
No. Each percentage stage is calculated against the full contract total. For example, 20% of a $24,000 contract is $4,800.
Can percentage and fixed-amount stages be mixed?
Yes. The calculator converts percentage stages from the contract total and uses fixed-amount stages as entered, then sums them for reconciliation.
What does a balanced schedule mean?
The calculator marks a schedule balanced when the absolute difference between the contract total and scheduled total is less than $0.01. It is a math check, not a review of project terms.
