THE THREE NUMBERS THAT EXPLAIN EVERY CASH ISSUE.
Gross margin. Overhead rate. Net profit. Three numbers, tracked against the industry benchmark for your trade and revenue band, explain almost every cash issue a subcontractor faces.
Three numbers decide whether a subcontractor keeps what the work earns: gross margin, overhead rate, and net profit. Across 48 commercial trades at $1M to $5M, industry gross margin ranges 18 to 27 percent, overhead ranges 13 to 18 percent, and net profit ranges 2 to 10 percent before taxes. Net profit is gross margin minus overhead, all three before taxes, so one of the three read on its own can't tell you whether a thin bottom line came from the bid or from the office. On the CFOS target, overhead is set a point leaner than your trade's average at your revenue, net profit is set at 10 percent before taxes or 3.5 points better than your trade's industry average at your revenue, whichever is higher, and gross margin is set at whatever gross margin produces that net profit once your overhead is paid, and never below your trade's own average.
YOUR REVENUE, IN REAL DOLLARS.
This is the industry benchmark, not your number. It shows what other subcontractors in your trade have, so you have something to measure against.
ALL 48 TRADES, SIDE BY SIDE.
Every trade here is an SPM trade with its own operating system page, linked in the first column.° marks a figure derived from the nearest comparable trade, with no direct measurement behind it. Every figure is an industry AVERAGE for that band, with the CFOS target in its own column beside it.
Three rows per trade, one for each metric, because gross margin, overhead and net profit only mean something read together. Each trade links through to its operating system page, and each metric to that trade's own benchmark page for that metric.
| Trade | Metric | $1M to $5M | $5M to $10M | $10M to $25M | CFOS target, $1M to $5M | CFOS target, $5M to $10M | CFOS target, $10M to $25M |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CIVIL & EARTHWORK | |||||||
| Civil | Gross margin | 21% | 23% | 25% | 23.5% | 25.5% | 27.5% |
| Net profit | 7% | 10% | 13% | 10.5% | 13.5% | 16.5% | |
| Overhead | 14% | 13% | 12% | 13% | 12% | 11% | |
| Demolition | Gross margin | 20% | 22% | 23% | 25% | 24.5% | 25.5% |
| Net profit | 4% | 7% | 9% | 10% | 10.5% | 12.5% | |
| Overhead | 16% | 15% | 14% | 15% | 14% | 13% | |
| Environmental Remediation | Gross margin° | 23% | 24% | 26% | 25.5% | 26.5% | 28.5% |
| Net profit | 7% | 9% | 12% | 10.5% | 12.5% | 15.5% | |
| Overhead° | 16% | 15% | 14% | 15% | 14% | 13% | |
| Excavation | Gross margin | 21% | 23% | 24% | 23.5% | 25.5% | 26.5% |
| Net profit | 7% | 10% | 12% | 10.5% | 13.5% | 15.5% | |
| Overhead | 14% | 13% | 12% | 13% | 12% | 11% | |
| Grading | Gross margin | 18% | 20% | 22% | 25% | 24% | 24.5% |
| Net profit | 2% | 5% | 8% | 10% | 10% | 11.5% | |
| Overhead | 16% | 15% | 14% | 15% | 14% | 13% | |
| Paving | Gross margin | 20% | 22% | 23% | 23% | 24.5% | 25.5% |
| Net profit | 6% | 9% | 11% | 10% | 12.5% | 14.5% | |
| Overhead | 14% | 13% | 12% | 13% | 12% | 11% | |
| Sitework | Gross margin | 18% | 20% | 22% | 24% | 23% | 24.5% |
| Net profit | 3% | 6% | 9% | 10% | 10% | 12.5% | |
| Overhead | 15% | 14% | 13% | 14% | 13% | 12% | |
| SWPPP and Erosion Control | Gross margin | 24% | 26% | 27% | 26.5% | 28.5% | 29.5% |
| Net profit | 10% | 13% | 15% | 13.5% | 16.5% | 18.5% | |
| Overhead | 14% | 13% | 12% | 13% | 12% | 11% | |
| Underground Utility | Gross margin | 18% | 20% | 22% | 24% | 23% | 24.5% |
| Net profit | 3% | 6% | 9% | 10% | 10% | 12.5% | |
| Overhead | 15% | 14% | 13% | 14% | 13% | 12% | |
| HEAVY CIVIL & INFRASTRUCTURE | |||||||
| Bridge | Gross margin° | 22% | 23% | 24% | 24.5% | 25.5% | 26.5% |
| Net profit | 7% | 9% | 11% | 10.5% | 12.5% | 14.5% | |
| Overhead° | 15% | 14% | 13% | 14% | 13% | 12% | |
| Tunnel | Gross margin° | 23% | 24% | 25% | 25.5% | 26.5% | 27.5% |
| Net profit | 7% | 9% | 11% | 10.5% | 12.5% | 14.5% | |
| Overhead° | 16% | 15% | 14% | 15% | 14% | 13% | |
| CONCRETE & MASONRY | |||||||
| Concrete | Gross margin | 21% | 22% | 23% | 23.5% | 24.5% | 25.5% |
| Net profit | 7% | 9% | 11% | 10.5% | 12.5% | 14.5% | |
| Overhead | 14% | 13% | 12% | 13% | 12% | 11% | |
| Concrete Flatwork | Gross margin | 22% | 23% | 24% | 24.5% | 25.5% | 26.5% |
| Net profit | 8% | 10% | 12% | 11.5% | 13.5% | 15.5% | |
| Overhead | 14% | 13% | 12% | 13% | 12% | 11% | |
| Masonry | Gross margin | 21% | 22% | 23% | 23.5% | 24.5% | 25.5% |
| Net profit | 7% | 9% | 11% | 10.5% | 12.5% | 14.5% | |
| Overhead | 14% | 13% | 12% | 13% | 12% | 11% | |
| Precast Concrete | Gross margin° | 22% | 23% | 24% | 24.5% | 25.5% | 26.5% |
| Net profit | 7% | 9% | 11% | 10.5% | 12.5% | 14.5% | |
| Overhead° | 15% | 14% | 13% | 14% | 13% | 12% | |
| CONCRETE & SPECIALTY | |||||||
| Concrete Pumping | Gross margin° | 23% | 24% | 25% | 25.5% | 26.5% | 27.5% |
| Net profit | 7% | 9% | 11% | 10.5% | 12.5% | 14.5% | |
| Overhead° | 16% | 15% | 14% | 15% | 14% | 13% | |
| SITE & GROUNDS | |||||||
| Irrigation | Gross margin° | 22% | 23% | 24% | 24.5% | 25.5% | 26.5% |
| Net profit | 7% | 9% | 11% | 10.5% | 12.5% | 14.5% | |
| Overhead° | 15% | 14% | 13% | 14% | 13% | 12% | |
| Landscaping | Gross margin° | 22% | 23% | 24% | 24.5% | 25.5% | 26.5% |
| Net profit | 7% | 9% | 11% | 10.5% | 12.5% | 14.5% | |
| Overhead° | 15% | 14% | 13% | 14% | 13% | 12% | |
| ELECTRICAL & TECH | |||||||
| Electrical | Gross margin | 25% | 27% | 28% | 27.5% | 29.5% | 30.5% |
| Net profit | 9% | 12% | 14% | 12.5% | 15.5% | 17.5% | |
| Overhead | 16% | 15% | 14% | 15% | 14% | 13% | |
| Fiber | Gross margin | 22% | 23% | 24% | 24.5% | 25.5% | 26.5% |
| Net profit | 7% | 9% | 11% | 10.5% | 12.5% | 14.5% | |
| Overhead | 15% | 14% | 13% | 14% | 13% | 12% | |
| Low Voltage and AV | Gross margin° | 24% | 25% | 26% | 26.5% | 27.5% | 28.5% |
| Net profit | 8% | 10% | 12% | 11.5% | 13.5% | 15.5% | |
| Overhead° | 16% | 15% | 14% | 15% | 14% | 13% | |
| Security Systems | Gross margin | 22% | 24% | 25% | 25% | 26.5% | 27.5% |
| Net profit | 6% | 9% | 11% | 10% | 12.5% | 14.5% | |
| Overhead | 16% | 15% | 14% | 15% | 14% | 13% | |
| Solar | Gross margin | 22% | 23% | 24% | 24.5% | 25.5% | 26.5% |
| Net profit | 7% | 9% | 11% | 10.5% | 12.5% | 14.5% | |
| Overhead | 15% | 14% | 13% | 14% | 13% | 12% | |
| Telecom | Gross margin | 22% | 23% | 24% | 24.5% | 25.5% | 26.5% |
| Net profit | 7% | 9% | 11% | 10.5% | 12.5% | 14.5% | |
| Overhead | 15% | 14% | 13% | 14% | 13% | 12% | |
| MECHANICAL, PLUMBING & HVAC | |||||||
| HVAC | Gross margin° | 24% | 25% | 26% | 26.5% | 27.5% | 28.5% |
| Net profit | 8% | 10% | 12% | 11.5% | 13.5% | 15.5% | |
| Overhead° | 16% | 15% | 14% | 15% | 14% | 13% | |
| Mechanical | Gross margin | 25% | 26% | 27% | 27.5% | 28.5% | 29.5% |
| Net profit | 9% | 11% | 13% | 12.5% | 14.5% | 16.5% | |
| Overhead | 16% | 15% | 14% | 15% | 14% | 13% | |
| Plumbing | Gross margin | 25% | 26% | 27% | 27.5% | 28.5% | 29.5% |
| Net profit | 9% | 11% | 13% | 12.5% | 14.5% | 16.5% | |
| Overhead | 16% | 15% | 14% | 15% | 14% | 13% | |
| Process Piping | Gross margin° | 24% | 25% | 26% | 26.5% | 27.5% | 28.5% |
| Net profit | 8% | 10% | 12% | 11.5% | 13.5% | 15.5% | |
| Overhead° | 16% | 15% | 14% | 15% | 14% | 13% | |
| FIRE & LIFE SAFETY | |||||||
| Fire Alarm | Gross margin | 24% | 25% | 26% | 26.5% | 27.5% | 28.5% |
| Net profit | 8% | 10% | 12% | 11.5% | 13.5% | 15.5% | |
| Overhead | 16% | 15% | 14% | 15% | 14% | 13% | |
| Fire Protection | Gross margin | 23% | 25% | 26% | 25.5% | 27.5% | 28.5% |
| Net profit | 8% | 11% | 13% | 11.5% | 14.5% | 16.5% | |
| Overhead | 15% | 14% | 13% | 14% | 13% | 12% | |
| VERTICAL TRANSPORTATION | |||||||
| Elevator | Gross margin | 27% | 28% | 29% | 29.5% | 30.5% | 31.5% |
| Net profit | 9% | 11% | 13% | 12.5% | 14.5% | 16.5% | |
| Overhead | 18% | 17% | 16% | 17% | 16% | 15% | |
| STRUCTURE & ENVELOPE | |||||||
| Curtain Wall and Glazing | Gross margin | 27% | 28% | 29% | 29.5% | 30.5% | 31.5% |
| Net profit | 9% | 11% | 13% | 12.5% | 14.5% | 16.5% | |
| Overhead | 18% | 17% | 16% | 17% | 16% | 15% | |
| EIFS and Stucco | Gross margin | 23% | 24% | 25% | 25.5% | 26.5% | 27.5% |
| Net profit | 8% | 10% | 12% | 11.5% | 13.5% | 15.5% | |
| Overhead | 15% | 14% | 13% | 14% | 13% | 12% | |
| Framing | Gross margin | 18% | 19% | 20% | 22% | 21.5% | 22.5% |
| Net profit | 5% | 7% | 9% | 10% | 10.5% | 12.5% | |
| Overhead | 13% | 12% | 11% | 12% | 11% | 10% | |
| Insulation | Gross margin | 22% | 23% | 24% | 24.5% | 25.5% | 26.5% |
| Net profit | 8% | 10% | 12% | 11.5% | 13.5% | 15.5% | |
| Overhead | 14% | 13% | 12% | 13% | 12% | 11% | |
| Roofing | Gross margin° | 22% | 23% | 24% | 24.5% | 25.5% | 26.5% |
| Net profit | 7% | 9% | 11% | 10.5% | 12.5% | 14.5% | |
| Overhead° | 15% | 14% | 13% | 14% | 13% | 12% | |
| Siding | Gross margin° | 21% | 22% | 23% | 23.5% | 24.5% | 25.5% |
| Net profit | 7% | 9% | 11% | 10.5% | 12.5% | 14.5% | |
| Overhead° | 14% | 13% | 12% | 13% | 12% | 11% | |
| Structural Steel | Gross margin | 23% | 24% | 25% | 25.5% | 26.5% | 27.5% |
| Net profit | 8% | 10% | 12% | 11.5% | 13.5% | 15.5% | |
| Overhead | 15% | 14% | 13% | 14% | 13% | 12% | |
| Waterproofing | Gross margin | 26% | 27% | 28% | 28.5% | 29.5% | 30.5% |
| Net profit | 9% | 11% | 13% | 12.5% | 14.5% | 16.5% | |
| Overhead | 17% | 16% | 15% | 16% | 15% | 14% | |
| INTERIORS & FINISH | |||||||
| Acoustic Ceiling | Gross margin° | 21% | 22% | 23% | 23.5% | 24.5% | 25.5% |
| Net profit | 8% | 10% | 12% | 11.5% | 13.5% | 15.5% | |
| Overhead° | 13% | 12% | 11% | 12% | 11% | 10% | |
| Drywall | Gross margin | 19% | 21% | 22% | 22% | 23.5% | 24.5% |
| Net profit | 6% | 9% | 11% | 10% | 12.5% | 14.5% | |
| Overhead | 13% | 12% | 11% | 12% | 11% | 10% | |
| Flooring | Gross margin | 19% | 21% | 22% | 23% | 23.5% | 24.5% |
| Net profit | 5% | 8% | 10% | 10% | 11.5% | 13.5% | |
| Overhead | 14% | 13% | 12% | 13% | 12% | 11% | |
| Interiors | Gross margin | 19% | 21% | 22% | 22% | 23.5% | 24.5% |
| Net profit | 6% | 9% | 11% | 10% | 12.5% | 14.5% | |
| Overhead | 13% | 12% | 11% | 12% | 11% | 10% | |
| Painting | Gross margin | 18% | 20% | 21% | 22% | 22.5% | 23.5% |
| Net profit | 5% | 8% | 10% | 10% | 11.5% | 13.5% | |
| Overhead | 13% | 12% | 11% | 12% | 11% | 10% | |
| Tile & Stone | Gross margin° | 22% | 23% | 24% | 24.5% | 25.5% | 26.5% |
| Net profit | 8% | 10% | 12% | 11.5% | 13.5% | 15.5% | |
| Overhead° | 14% | 13% | 12% | 13% | 12% | 11% | |
| MARINE & SPECIALTY | |||||||
| Marine | Gross margin | 22% | 23% | 25% | 24.5% | 25.5% | 27.5% |
| Net profit | 7% | 9% | 12% | 10.5% | 12.5% | 15.5% | |
| Overhead | 15% | 14% | 13% | 14% | 13% | 12% | |
| INDUSTRIAL & ENERGY | |||||||
| Tank and Vessel | Gross margin° | 23% | 24% | 25% | 25.5% | 26.5% | 27.5% |
| Net profit | 8% | 10% | 12% | 11.5% | 13.5% | 15.5% | |
| Overhead° | 15% | 14% | 13% | 14% | 13% | 12% | |
| ACCESS & SPECIALTY | |||||||
| Scaffolding | Gross margin° | 26% | 28% | 29% | 28.5% | 30.5% | 31.5% |
| Net profit | 8% | 11% | 13% | 11.5% | 14.5% | 16.5% | |
| Overhead° | 18% | 17% | 16% | 17% | 16% | 15% | |
One point of margin is worth $10,000 at $1M of revenue, $50,000 at $5M, and $100,000 at $10M. Each band has its industry average and, beside it, the CFOS target for that trade at that band.
Below the average for your trade? Bring your last P&L to a 20 minute call. Josh will tell you where the gap is and what closes it.
Compare my numbers on a callBenchmarks for subcontractors from $1M to $25M. This is a partial view of the Run On CFOS benchmark reference, which covers every band up to $500M and above. The full Run On CFOS benchmark reference is on runoncfos.com.
Gross margin and overhead come from figures CFMA, Jones Maresca and other sources publish by trade and size. Net profit is computed, not surveyed: net profit = gross margin minus overhead. Nothing comes out for taxes, interest or other income and expense, so it is a before tax figure, on the same basis as CFMA's net income before taxes.
CFMA's 2025 medians are 7.1 percent before interest and taxes and 6.7 percent net income before taxes. Gross margin minus overhead leaves out interest and other income and expense, so a figure here can come in a little above or below a reported net income on the same business. The bands above the $10M to $25M band are published at runoncfos.com as a modeled extension of the same curves. They have not been reconciled against the licensed CFMA Benchmarker, so read them as a model and not as a survey result.
Trade figures are from the Run On CFOS Trade Benchmark Reference, published by Sulphur Prairie Operations, LLC. Gross margin and overhead come from figures CFMA, Jones Maresca and other sources publish, with 16 trades derived from the nearest comparable trade and disclosed as such on each page. Net profit is computed as gross margin minus overhead, before taxes. The bands above $25M are a modeled extension of the same curves. Net profit is stated before taxes. CFMA reports net income before taxes too, so the two read on the same basis. Re-validate against CFMA reporting on the normal quarterly cycle, per the benchmark reference's own instruction.
The trade figures are the Run On CFOS reference. Gross margin and overhead come from figures CFMA and other sources publish by trade: CFMA's 2025 Benchmarker and the Jones Maresca and Company 2025 specialty contractor benchmarks among them. Net profit is computed, not surveyed: net profit = gross margin minus overhead, stated before taxes. CFMA's full Benchmarker is a licensed product and the survey itself is theirs. Every trade in the reference publishes a row of its own. Each new edition is checked against the latest CFMA and JMCO releases before publication.
Run On CFOS publishes the same reference, trade by trade: construction benchmarks by trade at Run On CFOS.
- 2024 Construction Financial Benchmarker, Executive Summary, Construction Financial Management Association, 2024. 21.8% gross profit margin, 11.8% SG&A and 6.3% net income before taxes across all respondents, with a best-in-class top quartile at 11.9% net income before taxes.
- 2025 Construction Financial Benchmarker, Construction Financial Management Association, 2025. 6.7% net income before taxes (6.3% in 2023), a 7.1% EBIT margin and an 8.8% EBITDA margin at the median, with interest coverage of 30.4 times, across the 1,558 companies in the 2025 analysis (fiscal year 2024 results).
- 2025 Performance Benchmarks, Construction Companies, Jones Maresca and Company, 2025. Specialty contractor gross margin of 15% to 25%, net profit of 5% to 8% for a well managed company, and total indirect cost of 8% to 15%.
All 48 trades are available as JSON and CSV, one plain-language statement per row, free to use with attribution under CC BY 4.0.
WHY IT IS NOT ONE NUMBER.
A single target across every trade and every size is the reason most benchmark tables are useless. A framing contractor at $2M and an electrical contractor at $18M don't have the same overhead, don't bid the same way, and can't reach the same margin by the same route.
The CFOS target is set a point leaner than your trade's average at your revenue.
The CFOS target is set at 10 percent before taxes or 3.5 points better than your trade's industry average at your revenue, whichever is higher, and it's stated before taxes.
The CFOS target is set at whatever gross margin produces that net profit once your overhead is paid, and never below your trade's own average. The three tie out: the gross margin target minus the overhead target equals the net profit target on every row of the table.
FLAT MONTHLY FEE. NO SURPRISES.
Three tiers, priced by your trailing twelve month revenue. Which one you're in depends on how much of the work you want off your desk. No hourly billing and no payroll.
| Last 12 months revenue | Monthly fee | One-time onboarding |
|---|---|---|
| Under $1M | $1,900 to $3,300 | $1,000 |
| $1M to $3.5M | $2,600 to $5,300 | $1,500 |
| $3.5M to $6.5M | $3,800 to $8,300 | $3,000 |
| $6.5M to $9.5M | $5,100 to $11,800 | $4,500 |
| $9.5M to $12.5M | $6,100 to $14,900 | $6,000 |
| $12.5M to $15.5M | $7,400 to $17,650 | $7,500 |
| $15.5M to $18.5M | $9,400 to $22,400 | $9,000 |
| $18.5M+ | Quoted individually | Quoted individually |
The onboarding fee covers migrating your books back to the start of your last taxable year and getting you fully operational in 60 days. It's billed once, with your first invoice. It's the same for all three tiers. Your first month is prorated, and your monthly engagement starts on the first of the first full month.
Range reflects the three tiers below. Which one you're in depends on how much of the work you want off your desk. No payroll. No hidden line items. The onboarding fee is right here in the table.
You stop guessing.
You get the CFO work. Job costing built against the way you estimate, a 13 week cash forecast, monthly WIP, and a meeting every month that ends in decisions and never in a report.
Your bookkeeper still does the books.
Every job shows its margin while it is still open.
Everything in Core, plus the bookkeeping and bank reconciliations done for you, and the job costing and WIP software set up, loaded with your cost codes, and managed every month. Use your own online software, or move to ours and we cover it.
A bookkeeper we choose does the books and reconciliations. No payroll.
You approve, and the money side gets handled.
Everything in Strategic, plus a controller we choose who handles your bills and receivables for you the way an in-house controller would. They call vendors, pay the bills and keep the accounting current. We plan the cash flow first, and you approve every payment because it is your money.
A controller we choose does the payables and receivables. No payroll, no pay applications, no collections.
FREQUENTLY ASKED.
