PAINTING JOBS LOOK PROFITABLE. THE COST CODES SAY OTHERWISE.

Because the jobs earn before the money comes in. Labour and material go out on a weekly cycle and collect 45 to 90 days later, with 5 to 10 percent held as retention behind that. In painting specifically that distance is widened by punch list scope creep (touch-ups forever) and warranty tail and callback reserve. None of that reads as a loss on any single job, which is why it goes unaddressed.

Because the work finishes last. Retainage across the whole contract releases at project closeout, and closeout waits on every trade's punch list. The painter stands at the end of that line by default, which is why scope-level (line-item) retention release language is the highest-value clause a painter can negotiate.

Harder than almost anyone's: a 5 to 10 percent hold against a 5 percent net margin means the held money exceeds the profit. Track retainage as its own receivable class, calendar the release conditions, and price the carrying cost into bids that will hold funds past 90 days.

Three tiers, and which one you are in depends on how much of the work you want off your desk. Core is where you stop guessing: job costing built against the way you estimate, a 13 week cash forecast, monthly WIP, and a monthly meeting that ends in decisions, while your bookkeeper keeps doing the books. Executive is where you stop touching the books, because we run the bookkeeping and the controllership as well. Strategic is where every job shows its margin while it is still running, because the job costing and WIP platform is set up and managed for you. No payroll. No scope gaps.