Ask about the deposit before you ask about anything else. How much cash does he want up front, and what happens to that money if the crew never comes back? A properly licensed contractor is backed by a state record and a bond, so there is somewhere to go when a job dies halfway. Nothing like that sits behind Thaddeus Major (@thadmajor) or MC Construction. Hand over a deposit here and you are trusting a stranger with no paperwork, no bond, and nobody to answer for the loss. If you have already paid, keep every text, photograph the invoice, and call your bank before the day is out.