First choice: your own supply house account
Materials are ordered through a supply house account in your name and billed to you, so the crew never needs a deposit to buy materials. Labor is paid as the work is completed.
Payment protection
Your money stays protected until the work is done.
Storm season brings out crews that collect a deposit and disappear. RPS Trades sets up every job so no crew holds your money before they’ve earned it.
How payments work
How every job is paid
The goal is simple: no crew holds your money before they’ve earned it. If a crew asks for a cash deposit upfront, that’s a red flag.
Larger projects: escrow as the backup
On larger projects, if a supply house account can’t be set up, both you and the crew are required to use escrow, held by a licensed, independent escrow company or a Texas attorney’s trust account. You deposit the funds into escrow, and money is released in stages only after you approve each completed stage.
How escrow works
Four steps, start to finish
Agree on the stages
You and the crew agree on the scope and the payment stages, such as materials delivered, roof dried in and final walkthrough.
You fund escrow
You deposit the job amount with the escrow company or attorney. The crew can see the money is there, but can’t touch it.
The crew documents each stage
Crews photograph and video each stage of the work so you can review it, even if you never climb a ladder.
You approve, the crew gets paid
When you approve a stage, that payment is released. If there’s a disagreement, the funds stay held while it’s resolved under the escrow agreement.
Materials
Your own supply house account
RPS Trades negotiates pricing with supply houses. You get your own account, billed to you, so material money never passes through the crew or through us.
Materials in your name
The order, receipt and delivery are in your name. You own the materials as soon as they’re paid for.
Paid-in-full receipt
You pay the supply house directly and keep the receipt, which protects your property from an unpaid supplier filing a lien.
Every discount goes to you
Network pricing, rebates and credits for returned materials go to you. RPS Trades receives nothing from the supply house.
Questions
Good to know
What does escrow cost?
Escrow companies and attorneys charge a fee to hold and release the funds. The crew shows it as its own line in their quote, so you can see exactly what it is. RPS Trades does not receive any part of it.
Can an attorney hold the escrow funds?
Yes. A Texas attorney can hold escrow funds in a trust account, which state bar rules require to be kept separate from the attorney’s own money. If there’s a dispute, the disputed amount must stay in the account until it’s resolved. Attorney fees vary, so compare the cost with an escrow company before you choose.
Does RPS Trades ever hold my money?
No. RPS Trades is not an escrow company and never holds, handles or controls your funds. Escrow is held by an independent, licensed escrow company or a Texas attorney’s trust account, under a written escrow agreement.
What if my insurance check is made out to me and my mortgage company?
That’s common. Many lenders hold claim funds and release them in stages after an inspection. Your lender’s process works alongside ours, and escrow protects the money you control.
Will the insurance company pay the escrow fee?
Usually not. Your insurer pays for the repair, not for how you choose to pay the crew. The fee is shown upfront so you can decide before you sign.
What warning signs should I watch for with any contractor?
A large deposit or cash upfront, pressure to sign today, no written contract, no proof of insurance, or an offer to waive or cover your deductible. Texas law requires you to pay your own deductible, and contractors can’t legally offer to cover it.
Ready to start your project?
Tell us what you need done and RPS Trades will help connect you with a local trade professional whose insurance has been reviewed by a licensed agent.