How-To Guides

A practical guide for specialty trade subcontractors calculating WIP (work in progress) using the percentage-of-completion method. The formula, a worked example, and what under-billing and over-billing mean for your balance sheet.

A practical job costing spreadsheet template for specialty trade subcontractors. What tabs you need, how to set up WIP calculations, and when a spreadsheet stops being enough.

A practical estimating guide for specialty trade subcontractors. How to build a complete estimate from takeoff through margin, calculate labor burden correctly, and hand the estimate off to job costing.

Procore starts at $375/user/month and was built for general contractors. For specialty trade subs in the $1M-$20M range, there are purpose-built tools at a fraction of the cost.

A PO commits a cost before materials are delivered. An invoice is what the supplier sends after. Here's why specialty trade subs need both — and what skipping POs costs you.

A T&M contract pays you for actual labor hours and materials at cost plus markup. Here's how to track them accurately — and protect yourself when the GC pushes back.

Retainage explained for specialty trade subcontractors. What it is, how it affects cash flow, how to track retainage receivable, and how to collect it when the job closes.

A schedule of values is the line-item breakdown of your contract used to calculate AIA billing. Learn how to build one that matches your cost structure and supports accurate progress billing.