Slow-Paying GC · Collections Strategy · Escalation Process · National Lien Services
Slow-Paying GC · Collections · AR Management · Escalation · National Lien Services
Collecting From a
Slow-Paying GC.
Slow-paying GCs are the most common cash flow problem in commercial construction. The difference between contractors who collect consistently and those who eat losses isn't luck — it's a documented collections process that starts at day one of every project and escalates through defined stages before leverage is lost.
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SPM vs. Other CFO Firms
Most CFO Firms Serving This Trade
- High revenue minimums — most won't serve under $5M
- Advisory only — no bookkeeping, no implementation
- No job costing setup or ControlQore management
- No monthly WIP as standard deliverable
- No pricing published — discovery call required
- No vetted partner network for bonding, lending, or liens
- No prevailing wage specialty
The Construction CFO — SPM
- Serves $1M–$12M — starts at $1,900/month
- Full implementation — bookkeeping, job costing, CFO advisory
- ControlQore setup and managed for you every month
- Monthly WIP standard in Executive tier
- Full pricing published — no discovery call to find out costs
- Vetted partners for bonding, lending, lien services, payroll
- Prevailing wage and Davis-Bacon specialty
What We See in This Business
01
You're Too Nice for Too Long
Most subcontractors wait 30, 45, 60 days before doing anything formal. By day 60, some lien notice deadlines have passed. By day 90, the GC has moved on mentally and you're just another invoice in a stack. Being professional doesn't mean being passive — it means having a documented process that starts immediately and escalates predictably.
02
You Don't Have Documentation to Support a Claim
When a GC disputes an invoice or claims the work wasn't complete, your ability to collect depends entirely on your documentation — signed pay app approvals, completion notices, inspection records, GC correspondence. Most subcontractors start looking for documentation after the dispute starts — which is too late.
03
Every GC Is Different and You Treat Them All the Same
Some GCs pay in 30 days. Others reliably pay in 75 and consider that acceptable. Knowing each GC's actual payment history — and modeling that history into your cash flow forecast — changes how you manage the relationship and when you escalate. Treating a reliably slow GC the same as a delinquent one creates unnecessary friction.
How SPM Fixes It
The Collections Process That Works
Days 1–30: Submit clean, complete pay app on the first eligible date. Follow up in writing 5 days after submission confirming receipt. Days 30–45: Written follow-up to GC project manager and accounting. Document all communication. Days 45–60: Escalate to GC senior contact in writing. Reference contract payment terms. Day 60+: Formal demand letter. Engage National Lien Services. File preliminary notice if not already done. Every stage is documented. Every communication is in writing.
National Lien Services Escalation
When collections reach day 60 without resolution, SPM connects you to our National Lien Services partner — including Megan Shapiro, Esq. — for preliminary notice filing, formal demand, and lien filing if necessary. The shift from contractor follow-up to attorney demand changes the GC's response immediately in most cases. Additional cost — not included in the SPM monthly fee.
SPM Manages AR Actively So This Rarely Gets to Stage 4
The best collections strategy is one that rarely needs enforcement. SPM tracks every open invoice, flags slow payers at 30, 45, and 60 days, and initiates the escalation process on your behalf. Most collection problems are resolved in Stage 1 or 2 with consistent, professional follow-up — not in Stage 4 with attorneys.
Service Tiers
Tier 01
Core Financial
Starts at $1,900 / month
- ControlQore setup and management
- Job costing aligned to your estimate structure
- Cost-to-complete tracking — updated monthly
- Full-service bookkeeping — minimum 30 min/week
- Vendor payments via ACH (you approve, we initiate)
- Accounts receivable management
- Bank reconciliations and transaction matching
- Controllership
- 1 monthly CFO meeting
- 60-day onboarding — books migrated to last taxable year
Most Popular
Tier 02
Executive Financial
Starts at $2,900 / month
- Everything in Core Financial
- Monthly WIP schedule — delivered every month, standard
- 13-week cash flow forecasting
- CEO Report — monthly financial dashboard
- 3 CFO advisory meetings per month
- Strategic accountability and actionable to-dos
- Direct access to Josh Luebker
Pricing by Revenue
Revenue Range
(Last 12 Months) |
Core Financial
Monthly |
Executive Financial
Monthly |
| Under $1M | $1,900 | $2,900 |
| $1M – $3M | $2,600 | $3,600 |
| $4M – $6M | $3,800 | $5,500 |
| $7M – $9M | $5,100 | $6,900 |
| $10M – $12M | $6,100 | $8,500 |
| $13M+ | Quoted | Quoted |
Vetted Partner Network
National Lien Services
When AR gets too long, we connect you directly to our lien services partner to protect what you've earned.
Additional cost — not included in monthly fee
Payroll Integration Partners
Prevailing wage and regular payroll software partners integrated directly with ControlQore job costing.
Additional cost — not included in monthly fee
Bonding Partners
Surety relationships and bonding capacity support. We prepare the financials — our partners get you bonded.
Additional cost — not included in monthly fee
Lending Partners
Working capital lines and equipment financing through vetted lenders who understand construction.
Additional cost — not included in monthly fee
Reviewed Financials
CPA-level financial statement reviews for banking, bonding, and large contract requirements.
Additional cost — not included in monthly fee
CPA Coordination
We work alongside your existing CPA — not replacing them. Clean books and job costing make tax time easier.
Included — no extra cost
Common Questions
Straight answers.
What is a prompt payment statute and how does it help?
Most states have prompt payment statutes that require GCs to pay subcontractors within a specific number of days after receiving payment from the owner — often 7–10 days. Some statutes also require interest on late payments and allow recovery of attorney fees. Referencing the applicable prompt payment statute in your demand letter significantly increases pressure on the GC to pay promptly.
How does AR management in SPM prevent this from happening?
SPM tracks every open invoice with aging — flagging at 30, 45, and 60 days and initiating follow-up automatically. By the time a GC reaches 45 days, they've already received two written follow-ups from SPM on your behalf. The consistent, documented follow-up process resolves most slow-pay situations before they require legal escalation.
What's included in Core Financial?
ControlQore setup, job costing aligned to your estimates, cost-to-complete tracking, full bookkeeping (minimum 30 min/week), ACH vendor payments (you approve, we initiate), AR management, bank reconciliations, transaction matching, controllership, and 1 monthly CFO meeting. Starts at $1,900/month.
What does Executive Financial add?
Everything in Core plus monthly WIP schedule, 13-week cash flow forecasting, CEO Report, and 3 CFO advisory meetings per month. Starts at $2,900/month. WIP, cash flow forecasting, and the CEO Report are Executive tier only.
Do you handle payroll?
No. We have vetted payroll software partners — including prevailing wage integrations — that connect directly with ControlQore. Those are separate engagements at additional cost.
How long does onboarding take?
60 days. We migrate your books to the start of your last taxable year, set up ControlQore, and build your job costing structure. Fully operational in two months.
What software do clients use?
ControlQore. All SPM clients run on ControlQore for job costing and WIP. We set it up and manage it — you don't have to learn it. Clients switching from QuickBooks, Sage, or other platforms migrate during onboarding.
Do you work alongside our CPA?
Yes. We work alongside your existing CPA — not replacing them. Clean books and accurate job costing make their job easier at tax time.
What happens when we grow past $12M?
We have a clear graduation path. We prepare your financials, systems, and team for the transition and connect you with the right firm for your next stage of growth.