There isn't really a "standard percentage" for this. My contracts usually read "Balance to be paid within 7 days of completion" and that's good enough for most of my clients. What's your own contract language provide for? If you have an agreed upon payment schedule, then I'd follow it. By "change" do you mean under $100 dollars or is it in the thousands? Holding on to a small amount to ensure completion is legitimate, but it sounds like everything left to do can be wrapped up in a single day (once the replacement doors are available) so I would think that holding more than $500 would be excessive.
Shaughnn

Do you have a written contract? Does it have a payment schedule? This should be covered in the contract.

That said, you don't want the GC to be ahead of you. At every point in the project he should not be paid for work that is not done. 10% is a standard hold back in contracts (10% is held back until every last thing is done, even if the value of that work is less than 10%).

Hold back enough to hire someone to finish the jobs if he doesn't come back.

I think enough to finish the job is a good rule of thumb, unless your contract specifies otherwise. This doesn't necessarily protect you against the contractor disappearing anyway, though. As a point of reference, while we've never worked with a GC, we have done two big projects with a structural and HVAC contractor in the last few years. The structural guy wanted final payment after we passed inspection. He got 90% done and then completely disappeared---no final inspection so we still owed him $3K, and he *still* didn't return calls! Took a month to get him back out to tie up loose ends so we could final the permit. Contrast that to the HVAC people, where the contract specified final payment upon completion of work---*before* final inspection, which irked my husband. But the contract also specified that they were required to correct any inspection issues within 30 days of notice, so there was some protection there. So if they disappeared, we would have had some recourse. I actually think I prefer that to the contract with the structural people, which didn't put any timelines on anything.

And then there's our cabinetmaker, who has a 30-30-30-10 contract, with the last payment coming after we are "completely satisfied." Ha, hope he knows what he's getting himself into... :)

Hmm, interesting. NJ has enacted a law that pretty much states: Final Inspections Required before final payment is made to Contractors. This statement takes up the entire back of the yellow 8x10 card that must be displayed in a front window or door when any permitted work is in progress. A contract that states final payment before final inspection wouldn't fly here.

Thanks all. I appreciate the guidance. (And soon I will have pictures!!)

I know this is an old thread, and sorry if this is dense

are you talking about holding back
10% of the total value of the job
or
10% of just the final draw/payment?

Thank you