Step 1: Send a friendly reminder first
Before assuming the worst, send a short, warm reminder. People forget, emails get buried, and invoices slip through the cracks — especially with busy clients.
Keep it light: reference the invoice number and amount, include a payment link, and thank them. Most "won't pay" situations are really "forgot to pay."
Step 2: Follow up firmly, on a schedule
If the friendly nudge goes unanswered, follow up again a few days later — slightly firmer, still professional. Then again a week after that.
The key is consistency, not aggression. A mason who follows up like clockwork gets paid far more often than one who sends a single email and gives up.
Step 3: Send a clear final notice
If two weeks pass with no response, send a direct but polite final notice. State the amount, the original due date, and a firm deadline to pay.
Make it easy to resolve — include the payment link again — while making clear this is the last reminder before you consider next steps.
Step 4: Know your options if they still don't pay
For a genuinely non-paying client, masonry contractors can consider a formal demand letter, a mechanic's lien where it applies to your trade, or small-claims court for larger amounts. These are last resorts, but knowing they exist changes the conversation.
In practice, the large majority of invoices never reach this stage — they get paid once the client sees you consistently and professionally follow up.
The best fix: stop it before it starts
Non-payment thrives on silence. When every invoice is followed up automatically, clients rarely reach the "won't pay" stage in the first place.
PaidPatrol sends polite, escalating reminders for you — on the due date, then 3, 7, and 14 days after — in your name, until the invoice is paid. You add an invoice in about 20 seconds and never chase a payment manually again.