I had a friend ask me to do a quilt for her. She wanted it 100 X 100 with specific colors, and somewhat specific design. I told her I would work on the pattern or two, send her pics and after she decided which one I would give her a price. I also told her that she would have to pay me UP FRONT. She said that would not be a problem, she didn't expect me to do it for free.
I had done other work for her several years earlier and one piece I still have because she did NOT pay me. (It's a wood burn portrait of her grandson when he was just a few months old - he is now 7 or 8!)
I spent hours designing the quilt, more hours searching for the one fabric she wanted. I came up with a price once she and her DH agreed they loved the design, sent her the price which included having it quilted, ------ she hasn't talked to me since!
The general population does not understand the difference a quilt and a 'blanket'.
I'm glad I had not purchased any of the fabric for it. My DH was upset I was spending so much time just in designing it!
So - work done for friends or anyone ----- at least 1/2 the money up front to cover all my costs for large, time consuming, and costly items such as quilts.