Markup Materials Only?
In a perfect world, estimated costs will match actual job costs. At the end of a perfect year, total job costs will equal projected job costs. It’s not a perfect world.
Contracts to Avoid
If you are going to deviate from a standard fixed price contract, look at your approach from your client’s point of view. Make sure they know what to expect and what you’ll do.
Contract Commitment Language
Commitment language in your contracts, payment schedules that help cash flow, right of rescission language. With a few extra comments.
Contracts – Dates, Times, Conferences
Many construction-related disputes can be avoided with a well written contract. Here are a few of the things that need to be included.
Estimating Construction
Estimating construction isn’t easy. When profits are down, missing the estimate on jobs is almost always part of the reason.
We Want To See Your Receipts
What if you agreed on a price, now customer wants all receipts for material? Without a clearly written fixed price contract, it's a problem waiting to happen.
Race to the Bottom, or “How Low Can I Price This Job?”
Cutting your price to get a job is a money losing approach. Over time, you won’t be making a profit and you’re only working yourself into debt.
Where Do You Get Your Leads?
A new business wants to market your construction business and provide leads. It'll also give homeowners ammunition making it harder to sell jobs. There’s an alternative.
Side Jobs in Construction
Have you ever had a client go behind your back and ask your employees and/or subcontractors to work for them outside your company?
How Much Should a Contractor Charge?
Many of our website visitors aren’t contractors, they’re clients looking for help with a Cost Plus project gone wrong, or wondering if their contractor is overcharging.
Adjusting Your Markup Based on the Job
Many contractors use a variable markup or margin to price jobs. They believe that in the construction industry you have to reduce the price to get the job.
A Poorly Written Contract Will Cost You Money
Too many contractors use a poorly-written construction contract, or no contract at all, leading to different interpretations of an issue.
Making Selections for Their Project
If you're a remodeling or new home contractor, how can you get clients to make their selections before you write the contract? Make it easy for your client.
What’s the Right Contractor Salary?
If you’re a contractor, how much should you be paid to own and run your own construction company? How much should a construction company owner be paid as salary?
State by State Guide to General Contractor Bond Amounts
General contractor licensing and surety bond requirements by state to help prepare for running a sound business.
Itemized Estimates
Why clients request itemized estimates, and how you should respond.