Guides for contractors
Plain-English explanations of the numbers behind a trade business.
GuideJob costing for contractors: a plain-English guideJob costing answers a simple question: did this job make money? Getting a reliable answer depends on a few habits.GuideWhat a WIP schedule is, and when you need oneA work-in-progress schedule compares what you’ve billed on each open job with how much of the work is actually done.GuideWhy profitable contractors run short on cashProfit and cash are not the same thing.GuideJob gross margin vs. net profitA job can look profitable on its own and still leave the business short.GuideSetting up a chart of accounts for a contracting businessYour chart of accounts decides what your financial statements can tell you.
Free calculators
CalculatorMarkup vs. margin calculatorFind the price for the margin you need, and see what your markup really earns.CalculatorLabor burden calculatorSee the true cost of a field employee per billable hour, not just their wage.CalculatorContractor hourly rate calculatorBuild a billable rate that covers labor, overhead and profit.CalculatorOverhead rate calculatorFind your overhead rate and the markup your estimates need.CalculatorJob profit calculatorCompare estimate vs. actual and see where a job’s profit went.CalculatorBreak-even calculatorSee the monthly and annual revenue needed to cover overhead and hit a profit goal.CalculatorCash runway calculatorSee how long your cash will last through the slow season.CalculatorOver/under billing calculatorFind percent complete and over/under billing for a WIP schedule.CalculatorDSCR calculatorCheck your debt service coverage ratio before applying for an equipment or business loan.
Talk it through with Molly
A free 30-minute conversation about your business, your financial challenges, and the support you need.