Sales and profit are two very different things – as a construction business owner, you can find yourself without the cash to pay bills despite making sales you knew were profitable. You may also be startled to discover that solid cash flows from sales deliver little profit.

 

A cash flow forecast tracks cash flowing in and out of your business. The timing of these flows enables you to identify cash-rich and cash-lean periods. This helps make the right decisions, such as buying assets or preparing for cash shortfalls.

 

Cash flow is essential to the survival of your business – arguably more so than profit in the short term. Profit may be necessary for the longer term, but cash is needed to pay bills and operating costs quickly.

 

For example, if you're a plumber with reasonable cash reserves, you can survive until your business becomes profitable. However, if your business runs out of cash, you'll need to find a solution quickly to avoid going bankrupt.

 

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Topics: Construction Cash Flow, Cash Flow, Construction Accountant Who Listens, Contractor Cash Flow Problems, Contractor Tips, Improve Construction Cash Flow

Cash is king! Construction Company cash flow is the movement of money in and out of your Construction Company; these movements are known in accounting circles as inflow and outflow. Inflows for your Construction Company primarily come from selling goods or services to your customers, but keep in mind that inflow only occurs when you make a cash sale or collect on receivables. Other examples of cash inflows are borrowed funds, income derived from sales of assets, and investment income from interest.

Outflows for your Construction Company are generally the result of paying labor, material, other direct and indirect costs of goods sold, and overhead expenses.

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Topics: Construction Cash Flow, Cash Flow, Construction Accountant Who Listens, Contractor Cash Flow Problems, Contractor Tips, Improve Construction Cash Flow

So you have a great business idea and are convinced you can make it work, but you don't have much capital to get your business off the ground. Juggling existing financial commitments such as a mortgage or bank loan could put a squeeze on your business plans. Many entrepreneurs use creative thinking and shrewd planning to get businesses off the ground with the smallest budgets.

Freelancers in all industries deal with the same problems due to the nature of their work. Most of you came from the skilled craftsman trades; some worked as construction company managers and have now started or thought of starting your business.
 
If you just did, congratulations, you have decided to own and operate a construction company. Practically, solo contractors manage every aspect of their business, but we are here to help you navigate it. Here are the things you need to consider (especially when you are on a limited budget) to keep it running.

 

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Topics: New Contractors, Construction Cash Flow, New Business Startup, Construction Bookkeeping And Accounting, Construction Company Startup Tips, Contractor Tips

When you think of payroll, you might still envision paperwork and envelopes given to employees by hand. Even with direct deposit being the norm for years, there is still a significant paper component to manage.

You won't find a contractor using inefficient tools on the job site these days. The hammer or the nail gun? No question. While every contractor recognizes the flaws of using ineffective tools, they may still be losing money due to inefficient payroll tools and processes.

As with most things, payroll is going digital – for a good reason. There are many benefits to digital payroll for construction business owners and staff alike. Read on to learn why switching to paperless payroll could be right for you.

 

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Topics: Construction Cash Flow, Construction Bookkeeping And Accounting, Key Performance Indicators, Contractor Tips, Improve Construction Cash Flow, Boost Construction Profitability

The new year is a natural time to decide what you want to achieve and how. Businesses tend to progress more consistently if the owner sets financial goals and makes a plan to achieve them. 

 

Your construction business (and personal) budget is one area where you should keep your resolutions from slipping. While it’s true that there’s also next year when it comes to your financial goals, putting it off has real consequences that equal less money and more work. So here are seven steps you should take in January to start your 2023 budget.

 

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Topics: Construction Cash Flow, Construction Bookkeeping And Accounting, Key Performance Indicators, Contractor Tips, Improve Construction Cash Flow, Boost Construction Profitability

The end of the year is typically a reflective time. Something about that lull between holiday festivities and New Year's Eve sets the stage for introspection and review. While you're busy reflecting on the year ending and making plans for the new one about to begin, make sure you take some time to consider your finances. 

Preparing your End of Financial Year (EOFY) information often feels stressful—there are receipts to sort out and reports to review. You must ensure you have all the necessary information about your income and expenses. It can be overwhelming, and it can make the EOFY feel daunting.

The end of the financial year isn't just a time to collect receipts and find invoices. It's also a time to reflect on how your past year went, what went well and what didn't, and what you can change for next year.

 

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Topics: Construction Cash Flow, Construction Bookkeeping And Accounting, Key Performance Indicators, Contractor Tips, Improve Construction Cash Flow, Boost Construction Profitability

Small construction company owners like you already have a time-consuming and challenging job running your business. If you're working on weekdays, you usually need the weekend to catch up on paperwork, pay bills, and manage any tasks you didn't get to during the week. 

But this weekend is Christmas, and with it comes time to relax, focus on family and friends and take stock of what is essential in life. Phone calls from employees dealing with a minor crisis will pull your focus from your family, or your Christmas dinner will be taken over by business talk. Like the merry bells of Christmas, your cell phone will constantly chime with the sounds of urgent text messages and emails that must be dealt with. Clients will need your attention.

So, if you've been waiting for a sign or permission to pause, this post could be the one you're waiting for. It's easy to let the construction company take over your personal life, but as a small business owner, it's vital that you get some time away from work.

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Topics: Construction Cash Flow, Outsourced Accounting For Contractors, Construction Bookkeeping And Accounting, Do What You Do Best And Outsource The Rest, Contractor Tips, contractor delegation, Switching Off During The Holidays

Enlightened contractors like you understand the value of developing your own unique Construction Contracting System, a collection of documented repeatable processes and operation manuals. The key is continuously refining your construction company's practices and procedures.

Your office ensures your contracting company has a steady flow of projects. Proper accounting and bookkeeping develop timely financial reports to show which jobs are profitable so you can pursue more. Thus, you can focus more on the following:

• Acquiring the right clients
• Doing the project as close to on time and on budget as possible
• Get job deposits and timely progress payments
• Follow-up with clients to monitor satisfaction and line up new projects
  
  

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Topics: Construction Cash Flow, Construction Bookkeeping And Accounting, Key Performance Indicators, Contractor Tips, Improve Construction Cash Flow, Boost Construction Profitability

Cash flow refers to the movement of money into and out of your business. It's based on the amount of money you bring in minus the amount you spend. A positive cash flow means bringing in more than you're spending. A negative cash flow means you aren't bringing in enough to cover your expenses.

 

Your construction company can run into problems by not charging enough for goods or services, having late-paying clients, growing too quickly, or simply spending too much money.

 

Solid cash flow management is vital to ensuring your contracting business survives, but not everyone understands what cash flow is or how to manage it. That's likely what makes it a leading cause of stress for small business owners. 

 

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Topics: Construction Cash Flow, Cash Flow, Construction Bookkeeping And Accounting, Increase Cash Flow, Construction Systems And Processes, Contractor Guidance

Managing cash flow is a vital part of running a successful construction business. Some contractors think managing cash flow means keeping track of how much money enters and leaves their business, but there's actually more that goes into it. 

[Starting Cash + Cash In - Cash Out] = Cash Flow

Contractors and sub-contractors know there is more to profits than what is shown above, and most of you rely on your "gut feel" to see when the project has made a profit or not.

 

Cash flow forecasting is an incredibly valuable tool that helps you anticipate cash flow issues, plan for days when your cash flow is limited, and show the bank that you are prepared. It's a necessary process that you shouldn't ignore.

 

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Topics: Construction Cash Flow, Construction Accounting, Contractor, Contractor Tips, Contractor Operating Tips, crisis