Fifty-eight percent of contractors say they are having trouble finishing projects on deadline, according to the National Association of Home Builders.1
“It’s an issue with everyone I know,” said Richard, general manager of a mid-size building construction contractor. “We used to build a house in 90 days. Now our timeline is pushed out to 180.”
The result is shrinking margins. The longer your timeline, the more chances there are for cost overruns and uncertainties to creep into your project, potentially squeezing companies when they can least afford it.
58% of contractors say they are having trouble finishing projects on deadline1
“We’re in an industry where net income as a percent of revenue is not high compared to a lot of other industries,” said Barry, the president of a private home building company that does about $50 million in annual revenue. “We need to be smarter than ever to make our numbers.”
The culprit behind shrinking margins in the construction industry is, ironically, the rebounding economy. Dropping unemployment rates have led to a lack of skilled labor. Without enough construction workers to lay foundations, frame houses, and do finishing work, jobs are taking longer to complete. But an unexpected challenge demands a different kind of solution, one that allows construction companies to ease financial pressure without compromising the quality of projects.
Here are three ideas for protecting your margins in a tough market.
Get Strategic About Purchasing
Giving yourself the ability to quickly pull the trigger on purchases in time-sensitive situations can help keep profit margins healthy and your project on schedule.
Frequently, construction firms are also able to get great time-sensitive discounts when they’ve made bulk purchases.
Jumping on these types of opportunities, however, can require significant expenditures at a moment’s notice. Having a corporate card program backing up your business is crucial, so you can move quickly.
The key to keeping your cash flow positive in shifting circumstances is flexibility.
Similarly, strategically timing purchases to ensure that you’re not financing projects for owners will limit the amount that delays eat into your profit margins. “If I’m being delayed on a job because of weather, my bills are still rolling in,” said Joe.
The job site is never a static place. Things are changing constantly, and new challenges are always arising. The key to keeping your cash flow positive in shifting circumstances is flexibility.
Centralize and Digitize Your Expenses
Runaway expenses can take a big bite out of your profit margins. Loose cash almost always saps profits. It’s hard to account for and is time-consuming to track.
As a result, project managers and superintendents are increasingly looking to centralize their billing structures to create efficiencies and eliminate as much paper as possible. The more paper floating about, the more likely it is that information is being lostor seen out of context. Central offices want the ability to see the combined spending in one spot.
Additionally, centralizing your billing helps with post-project analysis. Applying the lessons learned from spending and expenses on one project helps to forecast the next project much more accurately.
Applying the lessons learned from spending and expenses on one project helps to forecast the next project much more accurately.
This is particularly relevant for firms that operate in multiple states. They often need custom financial solutions that are tailored to their ongoing project needs.
“Controlling costs by knowing what the spend is going to be every day can make the difference in knowing whether a job is going to be profitable --- or not,” said Richard.
Take Advantage of Rewards
In the construction business, taking advantage of every tool at your disposal to ease the squeeze on your margins is just good business sense. This is why a robust rewards program is increasingly attractive to contractors and firms.*
“Frankly,” said home building company president Barry, “we’re looking to save money wherever we can.”
That’s why most of the small private builders Barry knows take advantage of business credit card rewards programs by plowing those rewards straight back into the business.* After all, gaining a percentage point on thin profit margins, can make a difference to your bottom line.
1National Association of Home Builders, "More Builders Report Labor/Subcontractor Shortages"
Related Stories
Codes and Standards | Dec 18, 2023
ASHRAE releases guide on grid interactivity in the decarbonization process
A guide focusing on the critical role of grid interactivity in building decarbonization was recently published by ASHRAE. The Grid-Interactive Buildings for Decarbonization: Design and Operation Resource Guide provides information on maximizing carbon reduction through buildings’ interaction with the electric power grid.
Sustainable Design and Construction | Dec 14, 2023
Suffolk Construction establishes Suffolk Sustainability Group
Design veterans Steven Burke and Michael Swenson will lead the new sustainability initiative for Suffolk.
75 Top Building Products | Dec 13, 2023
75 top building products for 2023
From a bladeless rooftop wind energy system, to a troffer light fixture with built-in continuous visible light disinfection, innovation is plentiful in Building Design+Construction's annual 75 Top Products report.
Giants 400 | Dec 12, 2023
Top 15 Veterans Affairs Facility Construction Firms for 2023
Walsh Group, Turner Construction, BL Harbert, and Hoar Construction top BD+C's ranking of the nation's largest Veterans Affairs facility general contractors and construction management (CM) firms for 2023, as reported in Building Design+Construction's 2023 Giants 400 Report.
Giants 400 | Dec 12, 2023
Top 35 Military Facility Construction Firms for 2023
Hensel Phelps, DPR Construction, Walsh Group, and Whiting-Turner top BD+C's ranking of the nation's largest military facility general contractors and construction management (CM) firms for 2023, as reported in Building Design+Construction's 2023 Giants 400 Report.
Contractors | Dec 12, 2023
The average U.S. contractor has 8.5 months worth of construction work in the pipeline, as of November 2023
Associated Builders and Contractors reported today that its Construction Backlog Indicator inched up to 8.5 months in November from 8.4 months in October, according to an ABC member survey conducted Nov. 20 to Dec. 4. The reading is down 0.7 months from November 2022.
Giants 400 | Dec 11, 2023
Top 80 Local Government Building Construction Firms for 2023
Turner Construction, Clark Group, Holder Construction, and Pepper Construction top BD+C's ranking of the nation's largest local government building general contractors and construction management (CM) firms for 2023, as reported in Building Design+Construction's 2023 Giants 400 Report.
Giants 400 | Dec 11, 2023
Top 50 State Government Building Construction Firms for 2023
Hensel Phelps, Turner Construction, Clark Group, and PCL Construction top BD+C's ranking of the nation's largest state government building general contractors and construction management (CM) firms for 2023, as reported in Building Design+Construction's 2023 Giants 400 Report.
Codes and Standards | Dec 11, 2023
Washington state tries new approach to phase out fossil fuels in new construction
After pausing a heat pump mandate earlier this year after a federal court overturned Berkeley, Calif.’s ban on gas appliances in new buildings, Washington state enacted a new code provision that seems poised to achieve the same goal.
Green | Dec 11, 2023
U.S. has tools to meet commercial building sector decarbonization goals early
The U.S. has the tools to reduce commercial building-related emissions to reach target goals in 2029, earlier than what it committed to when it signed the Paris Agreement, according to a report by the U.S. Green Building Council.