Erosion control subcontractors carry overhead driven by material handling equipment, compliance coordination, and the weather-dependent mobilization patterns that define this trade. Here is what normal overhead looks like at every revenue level.
These benchmarks are drawn from SPM's work with commercial erosion control contractors and industry data. Calculate your actual overhead rate — total G&A expenses divided by total revenue for the trailing 12 months — and compare to your revenue band below.
How to use this data: If you're above the top of the range, specific categories need review. If you're below the bottom, you may be underinvesting in systems and staff. Use the benchmark as a target range, not a single number.
Trade note for Erosion Control Contractors: Erosion control contractors who also hold SWPPP qualifications carry higher overhead than those who perform installation only. The benchmark ranges above reflect installation-focused erosion control contractors. Add 3–5% to the overhead rate benchmarks if your operation includes SWPPP compliance management services.
Erosion control installation is weather-dependent. During dry periods, installation slows. During major rain events, emergency response drives surge revenue. The overhead rate calculation should use trailing 12-month revenue to avoid misleading month-to-month spikes.
Hydroseeders, erosion blanket installers, and BMP installation equipment used on specific jobs should be allocated to those jobs. When this equipment costs sit in overhead, high-equipment jobs look more profitable than they are.
Emergency BMP repair and emergency response after storm events carries different overhead than planned installation. Most erosion control contractors blend the two without recognizing that emergency response has higher labor overhead and lower equipment utilization.
Hydroseeder, erosion blanket equipment, and BMP installation equipment costs are allocated to specific jobs in ControlQore via internal rates. Overhead rate drops and high-equipment-usage jobs reflect their true cost.
SPM builds separate cost code structures in ControlQore for emergency response and planned installation — allowing overhead rate comparison between the two revenue streams and supporting pricing decisions for emergency response contracts.
For weather-dependent trades like erosion control, SPM uses trailing 12-month overhead rate rather than monthly rate in benchmark comparisons — smoothing out weather-driven revenue variability that creates misleading short-term overhead rate swings.
Find out in a free 30-minute call. Josh will tell you straight where your overhead rate stands and what to do about it.
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