Cost, completion and payment are separate records
An agreed estimate describes the result and price accepted by the parties. Acceptance records which work has been completed and checked. Payment records how much money was handed over and for what. A deposit may precede work; a completed stage may remain unpaid. A bank statement is therefore not the full renovation budget.
Keep one current agreed cost and a separate payment history for each contractor. A UAH 20,000 transfer toward UAH 80,000 of work is part of the 80,000, not an additional cost. New agreed work changes the scope cost, not the historical bank-transfer record.
Questions before paying a deposit
- Who receives it, and how are they connected to your agreement?
- What does it fund: materials, reserving dates or part of the work?
- How will it be credited against later payments?
- What documents prove the transfer and purchases?
- What happens to dates, surplus and settlement when scope changes?
There is no universal “correct percentage” for every renovation. Funding expensive equipment and paying labour are different situations. Agree the funding of particular needs and consequences of non-performance in writing; deposit and refund terms must be checked against your contract. “We always charge this” does not explain what you are financing.
A worked example without double counting
| Measure | Amount | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Original agreed scope | 170 000 | 100 000 labour + 70 000 materials |
| Approved change | 12 000 | Added to cost once |
| Current agreed cost | 182 000 | 170 000 + 12 000 |
| Already paid | 70 000 | 30 000 to contractor + 40 000 for materials |
| Balance under these agreements | 112 000 | 182 000 − 70 000 |
| Separate unused contingency | 18 000 | Not a debt to the contractor |
| Example funding limit | 200 000 | 182 000 + 18 000 |
Do not add contingency to every invoice or automatically hand it to the crew. The original UAH 200,000 limit consisted of UAH 170,000 of work and materials plus a UAH 30,000 contingency. The UAH 12,000 change uses that contingency: agreed cost rises to UAH 182,000 and unused contingency falls to UAH 18,000. Within the same overall funding limit, this is not another 12,000 on top.
A process for extra work
- Record the reason: a new owner request, different substrate condition, product substitution or another circumstance.
- Describe the new result and how it differs from the original brief.
- Calculate labour, materials and associated costs, subtracting cancelled items.
- Show the impact on dates and other stages.
- Where circumstances permit, obtain approval before execution by the method set in the contract.
- Accept the result and link payment to the approved change.
Establishing the reason distinguishes a new order from correcting defective original work. Do not label every amount “extra” until you know what scope it adds or replaces. Record facts and seek appropriate advice if there is a dispute.
What a short change record looks like
| Field | Record |
|---|---|
| Reason | Inspection found an unsuitable part of the substrate |
| Original estimate item | Floor preparation, room 2 |
| Change | Agreed area, quantity and reinstatement method |
| Full difference | +UAH 12 000, including materials and associated work |
| Programme | Agreed impact on completion and subsequent installation |
| Confirmation | Date, document version and approval by both parties |
| Work status | Approved → executed → accepted |
Track payment separately: a deposit can precede execution. “As discussed yesterday” is not an adequate description. Add photographs or a sketch if needed to define the boundary. Link the old item and new version so they are not counted as two complete jobs.
Five checks before the next payment
- Does the amount match the agreement or approved change?
- Which stage and document support settlement?
- Which deposits have already been credited?
- Are materials you paid the seller yourself still included?
- What outstanding commitment remains after this transfer?
If the crew receives purchasing funds, separate that advance from their fee and reconcile evidenced spending. Do not silently move an unexplained balance into labour payment. Document how final crediting is agreed.
Returns and closing the records
For returned material, record the original purchase, quantity, refund and actual crediting of money. Mark an expected refund separately; it does not yet increase available funds. Likewise, reconcile unused advances with the contractor instead of simply deleting them.
At completion, reconcile the original agreement, all approved changes, final cost, payments, refunds and agreed balance. Keep defects and correction deadlines separate from the payment history. Entering a defect in an app does not itself change your right to vary payment: contract terms and law apply.
In Reno Pro, record payments according to their purpose using the fields available in your version. The budget guide explains Plan, Fact and payments. The register above does not promise that the app automatically calculates every contractual measure.
Sources
- Free Legal Aid: renovation and contracts — written agreements and acceptance; old absolute legal claims are not reproduced
- Consumer protection authority: works and services FAQ — official consumer-information starting point; a particular dispute requires separate examination
- Civil Code of Ukraine — checking estimate, change and payment terms for the particular agreement
Editorial source review: 18 October 2026. The numerical examples were created for teaching; they are not a contractor’s personal quotation. English translation reviewed on 18 October 2026.