For those renovating their home
Home renovation without risk
In a full home renovation the fear is rarely the starting price. It is the advance you hand over before seeing anything, the budget that grows midway, and the company that falls behind or disappears. All of it is managed with one simple idea: pay for what is done, not for what is promised.
The three fears of a renovation, and their answer
| What you fear | How it is resolved |
|---|---|
| "I pay the advance and the company disappears" | Each payment is released against certification; what is not certified is not paid. The advance is backed separately. |
| "The budget grows midway" | You pay against real progress, by line and measurement. Changes are agreed in writing and priced before they are carried out. |
| "I pay for something that isn't done" | The technical director decides it with their certification, not the calendar. |
Pay against progress, not the calendar
The difference that changes everything: instead of paying on fixed dates whatever happens on site, each stretch is paid when it is executed and certified. The capital stays in a regulated escrow account, external to you and the company, and only moves against verified progress. The full mechanism is in milestone payments.
The first payment, backed
The advance is the only stretch you hand over before any work exists, which is why it carries the most risk. For it there is the Insured Milestone 0 programme, designed to back it with a surety bond from a leading insurer, under negotiation: there is no signed contract and we do not present it as if there were. We cover it in detail in protecting the advance payment.
No cost to you
The custody is paid by the renovation company, not you. You gain the reassurance that your money follows the works without taking on the cost of protecting it. And if there is ever a dispute, each payment keeps its ordered, dated evidence.
Frequently asked questions
How do I stop the renovation budget from spiralling?
With a budget itemised by line and measurement, not a single figure, and by paying against real progress. Changes are agreed in writing and priced before they are carried out.
What advance is reasonable on a full renovation?
There is no fixed figure: it depends on how much material and equipment the start needs. What matters is that it is backed; if it is not, keep it to the minimum needed to start.
How do I know I'm paying for work actually done?
By tying each payment to a milestone that the technical director certifies. The money stays in a regulated escrow account and is released only against verified progress.
What happens if the renovation company walks off midway?
What has not been certified has not been paid, so your exposure is limited to what was executed. With the advance backed by a bond, that first payment is covered too.
PactStream is built and switching on with our first clients. If you are about to renovate your home, reserve your spot and we will let you know when we open.
Reserve your spot How it is certified and paid