The payment method clause: bank wire only, no personal checks
Clause 2 of 13 from my signed L&G Building & Concrete contract, with what it meant on my project and how I would rewrite it.
What it says
Company statement: contract ODR-001094, signed February 20, 2026
“L&G Building and Concrete LLC will only accept bank wire transfers as forms of payment. … NO PERSONAL CHECKS WILL BE ACCEPTED.”Terms and Agreement, page 1
Every payment in my packet was set up as a bank wire with a confirmation number emailed to the office. A wire is final the moment it leaves your account. There is no chargeback window the way there is with a credit card, so whatever leverage you have is gone once the money is sent.
What happened on my project
My project record
Every payment in my packet was set up as a bank wire, with the confirmation number emailed to the office. The terms say L&G will only accept bank wire transfers and that no personal checks will be accepted. Other customers’ reviews mention credit cards; my packet did not offer one.
When the slab measured short of the specified thickness, when the footings failed inspection, when the crew came five days late and when the installation payment was requested on a half-built frame, there was no chargeback window and no stop-payment to call. The money for each step had already cleared.
How I would rewrite it
- Ask for credit card payment on at least the deposit and the final payment, even with a surcharge. The dispute right is worth more than the fee.
- If wire is the only option, shift every payment trigger to something verifiable after the fact: a passed inspection, material counted on the lot, a stripped and measured slab.
- Hold a retainage of at least 10% until final inspection. With wire-only payment, that retainage is the only money you will ever have to negotiate with.
The question to ask before signing: “If I pay by wire and something is wrong with the work, what is my remedy, and where does the contract say so?”
My reading as a customer, not legal advice. A North Carolina construction attorney can tell you what the clause means for your contract.
Related
Previous clause: Deposits and refunds. Next clause: When the money is due. All clauses.