Timely tax and finance information for contractors
November / December 2019
Year-End Tax Planning
Four Reasons to Review Your Business Plan at Year End
Nearly all construction companies began with a business plan. But, once a business is up and running, the document tends to get buried either in a file cabinet or on a hard drive. This article suggests contractors dig out their business plans and use them to assess their operations, as well as to plan for the coming year.
Most construction projects succeed because of the strong relationships between general contractors and subcontractors. One source of conflict that can quickly sour the rapport is retainage. This article explains why general contractors should take a mindful approach to remitting subcontractors’ retainage. A sidebar looks at how to deal with slow-paying owners.
No one likes a creep. When it comes to construction projects, one kind of creep that contractors must avoid is scope creep: when the actual work performed on a job gradually expands beyond the contract parameters without compensatory change orders. This article offers tips on how to avoid this costly problem.
This issue’s “Construction Success Story” features a contractor who specializes in building and renovating medical facilities. Recently, he began considering a purchase of “wearable tech” — data-gathering items that can be affixed to construction workers’ clothing. Before spending any money, however, he visited his financial advisor to discuss return on investment.