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 on the whole contract releases at project closeout, and closeout waits on every trade's punch list. The painter is at the end of that line. That's why scope-level (line-item) retention release language is the most valuable clause a painter can negotiate.

Harder than almost anyone's. A 5 to 10 percent hold against a 5 percent net margin before taxes means the held money equals or exceeds the profit. Track retainage as its own receivable class. Calendar the release conditions. Price the holding 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. On Core we build your plan every month and your team does the work: 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. On Strategic we build the plan, track it and adjust it every month: our team does the bookkeeping and the bank reconciliations, and the job costing and WIP software is set up and managed for you, on your own online software or ours. On Platinum we manage the money side for you every week: our team handles your bills and receivables the way an in-house controller would, and you approve every payment. We don't do payroll.