How Much Is 10% Retainage on a $750,000 Contract?
Retainage held at 10%
$75,000.00
10% retainage, shown at 100% completion so the figure is the full amount held by the end of the job.
How that number is worked out
These are the figures this page was built with and every line the calculator produces from them. Change anything above and all of it moves.
- Contract amount750000 $
- Retainage10 %
- Work completed to date100 %
- Already paid to you0 $
Payable on this application$675,000.00
| Contract amount | $750,000.00 |
|---|---|
| Work completed | 100% |
| Earned to date | $750,000.00 |
| Retainage held at 10% | $75,000.00 |
| Less already paid | $0.00 |
| Due on this application | $675,000.00 |
| Retainage held at completion | $75,000.00chase this at closeout |
Work completed compared
Retainage accumulates as the work does, so each progress application leaves a little more of your own money behind.
| Work completed | Payable on this application | Retainage held at 10% | Due on this application |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25% | $168,750.00 | $18,750.00 | $168,750.00 |
| 50% | $337,500.00 | $37,500.00 | $337,500.00 |
| 75% | $506,250.00 | $56,250.00 | $506,250.00 |
| 100% | $675,000.00 | $75,000.00 | $675,000.00 |
What else matters here
Ten percent of $750,000 is $75,000 held and $675,000 paid. At 5 percent the holdback is $37,500, which is the difference a single sentence in the contract can make.
That sentence is usually a step down clause, and it is far more negotiable than most contractors assume. The common form reduces the rate once the work passes an agreed milestone: ten percent up to fifty percent complete, then nothing further withheld after that, so the accumulated holdback freezes instead of continuing to grow.
Ask for it before signing, and bring a reason rather than a complaint. A clean record on the owner's previous projects, a bonded contract, a schedule that has not slipped, or simply an offer to trade the reduction for something the owner wants are all ordinary negotiating positions. Asking after the first application has been submitted is a different conversation entirely, and a much harder one.
What this calculator assumes
- Retainage is money you have earned that is held back until the job closes out. It is not a discount and it is not a deposit.
- Most states cap retainage on public work, commonly at 5 or 10 percent, and several require it to be released or reduced at substantial completion. Private contracts are freer and often worse.
- Retainage is usually the last money a contractor sees and the first thing forgotten at closeout. Track it separately from the invoice balance.
Questions people ask
How much is 10 percent retainage on a $750,000 contract?
$75,000 held and $675,000 payable. At 5 percent the holdback is $37,500.
What is a step down retainage clause?
A clause reducing or stopping the holdback once the job passes an agreed milestone, commonly fifty percent complete, so the accumulated amount stops growing.
When should I ask for reduced retainage?
Before signing, with a reason attached: a clean record on previous projects, a bonded contract, or a trade for something the owner wants.
The retainage calculator takes any dimensions you like and hands back the same list.