Home Bakery Contract

Business By naetoile Updated 24 Jan 2017 , 1:24pm by 640Cake

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naetoile Posted 20 Jan 2017 , 1:34pm
post #1 of 18

Does anyone have a contract template I can use to help guide me in making my own? 

I am just started out as a home baker, been working for over a week in getting a rather large order done for tomorrow and this morning by client writes me asking if I started anything ask she had a bug and was thinking of rescheduling for next week in case her child or husband gets it!

i didn't get any deposit for this order or anything. I want to get myself a contract to cover myself so I don't loose money to things (ex. People) like this!

How close to an event (not a wedding) can a client do this but still be expected to pay?

any advice on drafting a contract would be appreciated!!

17 replies
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BeeBakes Posted 22 Jan 2017 , 5:03am
post #2 of 18

Don't have a contract I can give you, but on my invoices I let them know payment is non refundable AND  nontransferable. All orders are to be paid in full two weeks prior to delivery date.

if no payment is made, I'm not turning my oven on.

From the moment their order is confirmed (=deposit/payment made) I've planned out my baking and prep schedule and I've made myself unavailable to do other things so yeah non refundable and non transferable. 

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naetoile Posted 22 Jan 2017 , 5:25am
post #3 of 18

Does this apply to only large orders like a large wedding cake, or any order (regardless of size)?

How much deposit do you ask for?

I'm just a home baker starting out, but want to make sure I'm not stuck holding the cake and no payment! Luckily this order went through fine, but my heart sank when I first got my clients message!

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640Cake Posted 23 Jan 2017 , 3:57pm
post #4 of 18

Contract/rules should apply to all orders, regardless of size.  I do 50% at time of booking, fully paid two weeks before due.

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naetoile Posted 23 Jan 2017 , 6:33pm
post #5 of 18

How do you go about letting your clients know this? Do you put it in writing somehow?

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BeeBakes Posted 23 Jan 2017 , 6:50pm
post #6 of 18

This applies to all my orders. If the order is less than $100 I ask for payment upon booking, which I need notice of in advance. Just because you're a home baker doesn't mean people can't respect your time and schedule, they need to give you notice of an upcoming order! 

If it's more than 100, then 50% deposit and full payment to be made two weeks prior. 

I don't do wedding cakes which is why I said I don't have a contract but I let them know in the invoice I send under terms and conditions what my rules and regulations are. And I politely let them know I expect payment on x day. 

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naetoile Posted 23 Jan 2017 , 8:05pm
post #7 of 18

Maybe I should have titled this post as "invoice" and not contract!


BeeBakes.....what do you have written on your invoices in the payment section?

That is what I am trying to figure out what to write. At the moment I don't have any template or guide line at all on how I should go about stating my "rules" so that I cover myself in case of anything!!

Any help please send my way!!


Quote by @BeeBakes on 1 hour ago

This applies to all my orders. If the order is less than $100 I ask for payment upon booking, which I need notice of in advance. Just because you're a home baker doesn't mean people can't respect your time and schedule, they need to give you notice of an upcoming order! 

If it's more than 100, then 50% deposit and full payment to be made two weeks prior. 

I don't do wedding cakes which is why I said I don't have a contract but I let them know in the invoice I send under terms and conditions what my rules and regulations are. And I politely let them know I expect payment on x day. 


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BeeBakes Posted 23 Jan 2017 , 8:20pm
post #8 of 18

I have it saved on my computer at home, but basically what I stated before about payments being non refundable and nontransferable. The stuff about expecting payments in full for orders under $100 and 50% deposit for over that amount but balance to be paid in full 2 weeks prior. I need to update to include about pickup and that the client is responsible for the cake after they receive it (so like if we meet up and thy drive away with it and not me delivering to venue).

(order cancellation does not entail a refund because I could have already started purchasing items for their order so that's why deposits/payments are nonrefundable and nontransferable) 

i have a line about no refunds because of the nature of the items/services (this is a custom food item and not a tshirt that didn't fit) but I might update it to include something more along the lines of if there's a problem,it's up to my discretion how to go about handling it but if the whole product is consumed then that is clients acceptance of what was delivered.

im working on developing an all inclusive more refined  terms & conditions but yeah that's the gist of what I have so far. (I'm fairly new to this as well but I saw your post and thought I would tell you what I know) 

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640Cake Posted 23 Jan 2017 , 8:31pm
post #9 of 18

Sample contract from Cake Boss:

http://www.cakeboss.com/Cake-Stuff/Sample-Wedding-Cake-Contract

Steal some verbiage from this and add to your invoice (google bakery invoice for template/sample). 

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naetoile Posted 24 Jan 2017 , 1:29am
post #10 of 18

Thank you BeeBakes and 640Cake!

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naetoile Posted 24 Jan 2017 , 1:31am
post #11 of 18

If a client cancels within a certain timeframe, do you give some kind of refund?

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BeeBakes Posted 24 Jan 2017 , 1:45am
post #12 of 18

You're welcome :)

I would say no to the refund because you've already put them on your schedule and possibly turned down other business to accommodate their order, possibly bought ingredients or decor to use for their order, set your plans to make their order, etc. that's why the nonrefundable. 


 But if they booked months in advance I guess that's up to you how to handle it.

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ypierce82 Posted 24 Jan 2017 , 1:46am
post #13 of 18

Some will refund a portion, and some won't. It all depends on how you want to work it. I'm a home baker also, and I do not issue refunds on deposits. The deposit holds the date, full payment ensures that I am not wasting my time, electricity, etc.on a cake that they might cancel on last minute. I had a client give me the wrong date, the cake was baked, stacked, and decorated. I wrapped it well, and stuck it in my freezer until the day before they needed it. When I started out, I had no deposit in place, no timeframe to pay in place, and had a huge order cancel on me when I had 75% of the order done. Never again. 

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naetoile Posted 24 Jan 2017 , 1:53am
post #14 of 18

How much do you ask for a deposit?

I'm here cause I almost had this happen to me! Luckily it all worked out, but I had not a dime of payment of any kind! 

Do you issue a partial refund? If so what is your timeframe in which you would require refund (full or partial)

Quote by @ypierce82 on 1 minute ago

Some will refund a portion, and some won't. It all depends on how you want to work it. I'm a home baker also, and I do not issue refunds on deposits. The deposit holds the date, full payment ensures that I am not wasting my time, electricity, etc.on a cake that they might cancel on last minute. I had a client give me the wrong date, the cake was baked, stacked, and decorated. I wrapped it well, and stuck it in my freezer until the day before they needed it. When I started out, I had no deposit in place, no timeframe to pay in place, and had a huge order cancel on me when I had 75% of the order done. Never again. 


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ypierce82 Posted 24 Jan 2017 , 5:34am
post #15 of 18

I require 50% of the total cost as a deposit. Orders under 150 I require to be paid in full at the time of the order. I have not had to refund any money for an order *knock on wood*,but I think it would depend on the situation. There is a ton of information floating around on this site, if you have the time, I would definitely read some old threads. You can Google examples of bakery invoices like was suggested to get an idea of what direction you want to go. I've only been doing this a year, as a business, but I have gained so much information that I would not have thought about from this site! 

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ypierce82 Posted 24 Jan 2017 , 5:38am
post #16 of 18

The best advice I can give you, is get a deposit, but make it an amount that they would have a problem walking away from, 50.00, 75.00,etc. Do not turn on the oven until you have FULL payment. So basically I agree with everything said above lol

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naetoile Posted 24 Jan 2017 , 12:25pm
post #17 of 18

Thank you for your help!! 

Quote by @ypierce82 on 6 hours ago

The best advice I can give you, is get a deposit, but make it an amount that they would have a problem walking away from, 50.00, 75.00,etc. Do not turn on the oven until you have FULL payment. So basically I agree with everything said above lol


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640Cake Posted 24 Jan 2017 , 1:24pm
post #18 of 18

Think of it this way, taking an order takes time...answering questions, designing, scheduling, researching, etc.  The non-refundable deposit pays for that.  If they cancel, you were still paid for your time.  So if that's $25, $50, or $100, that is your deposit and should not be refunded back as it was already "spent."  The remainder of the balance, due before you bake, pays for the cake.  

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