In the UK
General builders, groundworkers, carpenters and joiners, roofers, plasterers, bricklayers and kitchen and bathroom fitters in the UK, from one-van firms to small main contractors.
- Setting a day rate that still pays after holidays, rain days and the vanWork out what an hour of labour really costs you, then price for the margin you want, not a markup that looks like it.Read the lesson
- Busy on three jobs and still short for Friday's wagesWhy builders run out of cash while making a profit, and the weekly forecast, applications and retention ledger that close the gap.Read the lesson
- Quoting the wrong VAT rate on a building job and paying it out of my marginAs of Oct 2026, building work can be 0%, 5% or 20% VAT depending on what is being built, and the rate has to be settled before you quote.Read the lesson
- Starting a job before building control, party wall notices and the phase plan are sortedNo general licence is needed to trade as a builder in the UK, but building control, party walls, CDM and asbestos all have to be dealt with before the first day on site.Read the lesson
- Homeowner or main contractor: the paperwork that decides whether I get paidA homeowner job runs on consumer law and a job for a business runs on the Construction Act, so the paperwork you need and the clauses to strike are different.Read the lesson
- My regular labour-only subbie looks more like an employee every yearCIS registration does not make someone self-employed. How to tell, what it costs if HMRC disagrees, and the checks builders skip when they take people on.Read the lesson
- Proving to homeowners, main contractors and councils that I am a safe pair of handsEach kind of client checks different proof: reviews and trust marks for homeowners, accreditation for main contractors, registration for public tenders.Read the lesson
- The main contractor has knocked thousands off my application without a proper noticeOn a construction contract a deduction needs a valid pay less notice served in time. Without one, the notified sum is due in full, and you have suspension, interest and adjudication behind you.Read the lesson
In the US
General contractors, remodelers, framers and carpenters, roofers, drywall, masonry and concrete contractors, and kitchen and bath installers in the US, from one-truck outfits to small GCs.
- Pricing labor when the wage is only part of what a carpenter costs meWork out the burdened cost of each productive hour, then price for margin, not markup.Read the lesson
- Profitable on paper, but payroll is due before the pay app clearsPayroll goes out weekly while pay apps take 30 to 60 days and retainage waits for completion. A weekly forecast and an honest WIP schedule keep the gap in view.Read the lesson
- Not knowing who owes sales tax on the materials and labor in my contractsWhether you pay tax on materials or collect it from the customer depends on the state, the type of work and how the contract is written.Read the lesson
- Starting a job without the license, permits and notices my state requiresLicensing is set by the state and the city, home improvement contracts carry their own notices, and OSHA's construction rules apply on every site.Read the lesson
- Signing a GC's subcontract without knowing which clauses my state will enforcePay-if-paid, lien waivers, indemnity, retainage and venue clauses work differently in each state. Know which to strike before you sign.Read the lesson
- Paying my crew as 1099 subs when they work like employeesIn California an unlicensed sub doing licensed work is presumed to be an employee, and at the comp audit an uninsured sub's pay is usually added to your own payroll and charged premium.Read the lesson
- Getting prequalified with GCs and public owners instead of chasing platform leadsHomeowners check reviews and your license, GCs check your financials, bonding and safety record, and public owners check registration and bonds.Read the lesson
- The GC is late paying and I am not sure I still have lien rightsLien rights can be lost in the first weeks of a job with a missed preliminary notice, so check your notices and deadlines before you chase the money.Read the lesson
What Greymill knows about construction and building · Every Academy lesson