The schedule of values is the most important billing document a subcontractor controls — and most subs treat it like a formality. The SOV determines when you bill, how much you bill, and how closely your cash inflow tracks your actual field costs. A well-structured SOV front-loads early work and mobilization. A poorly structured one leaves you cash-negative for the first 60 days of every job. This hub covers everything: how to build it, how to negotiate it, and how to use it to protect cash flow.
Every resource below addresses a specific piece of the SOV system — from initial structure to GC negotiation to monthly pay app timing. The SOV isn't just a billing document. It's a cash flow tool.
A schedule of values (SOV) is the line-by-line breakdown of contract value that a subcontractor submits to the GC at the start of a project. Each line represents a scope item with a dollar value. Monthly pay apps are submitted as a percentage complete against each line. The SOV is the document that determines when and how much you get paid throughout the job — making it the most important billing document you control.
Front-load it. Put the highest values on the earliest-completing work — mobilization, survey, early material procurement, underground work. The goal is to recover your cash investment in the job before you're deep into field operations. A flat SOV (where every line represents equal value regardless of timing) leaves you cash-negative for the first 60 days. That gap compounds when you have multiple jobs running simultaneously.
Yes — before you sign. GCs review SOVs for obvious front-loading but most won't fight you on line-item structure if your total matches the contract. Mobilization as a separate line, stored materials as a billable event, and phased breakdown by floor or section are all negotiable. After you've signed and started billing, changes require a change order. Negotiate the SOV at contract execution, not after you've already missed the window.
The SOV is the source document for your WIP schedule. Every month, your WIP shows what percentage complete you are on each SOV line, what you've billed vs what you've earned, and whether you're overbilled or underbilled on each job. An overbilled position means you've received more cash than you've earned — which becomes a liability if the job has issues. Underbilled means you're behind on billing relative to field progress. The WIP makes the SOV data actionable.
Schedule a free call. We'll review your SOV structure and tell you whether it's protecting your cash position or costing you.
Schedule a Free Call → See Pricing