The cleanest way is a pipeline in GoHighLevel with one stage per build phase. When a project manager moves the card, a workflow sends the customer an update and sends the invoice for that stage. The bottom line: the stages match the work, and so should the payments, because several states cap down payments and require payments to follow completed work.
The payment rules
California's Contractors State License Board tells consumers to pay no more than 10 percent or $1,000 down, whichever is less, not to let payments get ahead of the work, and not to make the final payment until the final plastering phase is complete and any equipment, decking, or fencing in the contract is done. It calls taking payment for gunite work before the job is completed a common example of illegal front loading. Nevada's pool statute, as enacted in 1997, caps down payments the same way and limits each stage payment to a share of the remaining price: not more than 30 percent after excavation, steel, and plumbing, 20 percent after gunite or shotcrete, and 30 percent after deck, tile, gas, and electricity, with the balance due after plastering and the final inspection. A pool forum shows that builder schedules vary in practice, for example 40 percent after excavation, 30 percent after gunite, 20 percent after the deck pour, and 10 percent before plaster. Your state's law sets the limits, so build the schedule from it and have your attorney review the contract.
Stages, updates, and invoices
| Stage | Update to the customer | Invoice |
|---|---|---|
| Permit approved | Permit number and expected dig date | Down payment, within the state limit |
| Excavation, steel, plumbing complete | Photos and next step | Stage 1 amount |
| Gunite or shotcrete complete | Photos and curing time | Stage 2 amount |
| Deck, tile, gas, electric complete | Photos and inspection date | Stage 3 amount |
| Plaster and final inspection complete | Start up date and care guide | Final balance |
Build it in GoHighLevel
Opportunity fields: Contract price, Stage amounts, Permit date, Current stage, and Estimated completion. With a six month backlog, add a Waiting stage before Permit approved.
- Create the pipeline with the stages in the table, plus Waiting and Complete.
- Build a workflow with the Pipeline Stage Changed trigger. Add an If/Else for each stage, with the update message and photos for that stage.
- In each branch, add the Send Invoice action with the invoice template for that stage. Because amounts depend on each contract, create the invoice from the template and adjust it before the card moves, or have the project manager confirm the amount.
- Build a workflow with the Payment Received trigger that tags the stage as paid and notifies the office.
- Add a monthly update during the Waiting stage, so a signed customer hears from you every month before the dig.
- Add a task at each stage for the project manager to check that the invoice does not exceed the work completed.
GoHighLevel's automating opportunities page lists the Pipeline Stage Changed trigger, filterable by standard and custom opportunity fields, and its actions list includes Send Invoice. Its help page says invoices require a connected payment gateway.
What the workload looks like
For example, a builder with 40 active pools and 5 payment stages each sends 200 stage invoices over the life of those projects (40 times 5), plus updates at each stage. A stage triggered workflow sends them and leaves the project manager to confirm amounts.
Mistakes to avoid
- Invoicing ahead of the work. Several states bar it.
- A down payment over the limit. California and Nevada cap it.
- Silence during the backlog. Update signed customers monthly.
- Forgetting the final inspection. Some states tie the last payment to it.
How this was handled before
Builders sent invoices from an accounting program when a project manager remembered, and customers called when a stage passed without word. Some states have written the payment schedule into law, so tying each invoice to a completed stage is now the safe way to bill.
What to measure after launch
Track days from stage complete to invoice sent, days from invoice to payment, and customer calls asking for status. If invoices lag the stage, the project manager is the bottleneck, so move the amount check to the moment the card moves.
Check before you switch it on
US text messages sent from a standard 10 digit number need A2P 10DLC registration. The HighLevel support portal says registration is required for texts to US recipients from 10 digit long code numbers and that toll free numbers do not require it. HighLevel's opt in guidelines also say a person cannot be forced to agree to text messages in order to submit a form, so keep the consent box optional. One compliance guide separates informational texts, which need documented consent, from marketing texts, which need prior express written consent. Ask your attorney which category your reminders fall into. Customers with a long backlog change phone numbers and emails, so confirm contact details at each stage. This is general information, not legal advice.
Questions people ask
How much can a pool builder take as a down payment?
California's CSLB says 10 percent or $1,000, whichever is less, and Nevada's 1997 statute uses the same limit. Check your state.
When can the final payment be collected?
California's CSLB says at completion of the final plastering phase, provided required equipment, decking, or fencing is done.
Can a workflow send stage invoices?
Yes. Use the Pipeline Stage Changed trigger with the Send Invoice action, with your payment gateway connected.
Ready to try it yourself? Start a GoHighLevel account here.
You can also see this in action in our GoHighLevel capabilities demo.