What is a milestone payment?
A milestone payment is a pre-agreed payment made when a specific stage of work is completed. Instead of one big invoice at the end of a job, the total is split into stages: complete the stage, get paid, move to the next stage.
Example: Kitchen renovation
A $20,000 kitchen renovation might be structured as:
- Milestone 1 — Demolition and prep: $4,000 (paid when old kitchen is removed and walls are prepped)
- Milestone 2 — Plumbing and electrical rough-in: $5,000 (paid when pipes and cables are run)
- Milestone 3 — Cabinet installation: $6,000 (paid when cabinets are installed)
- Milestone 4 — Final fit-off and handover: $5,000 (paid on completion)
Why milestone payments are better for everyone
For tradies: You get paid as you go. Cash flow is predictable. You're never out of pocket for a full job's worth of materials and labour.
For homeowners: You only pay for work that's been completed. If something goes wrong partway through, your exposure is limited to the current milestone — not the whole job.
How Stagex handles milestone payments
Stagex tracks the milestone structure for you. You agree the stages with the client up front in the quote. Your crew completes a stage and submits photo evidence. The client signs it off in their own portal, and the moment they do, Stagex generates the tax invoice for that stage — so nothing sits unbilled while you move on to the next one.
The client pays you directly, on whatever payment method the two of you have agreed. Stagex does not collect, hold or release your client's money. What it does is record what was agreed, what was delivered, what was signed off, and what's owed.