In the UK
28 sections, about 13,900 wordsRenewals and deadlines Greymill tracks
- Employers' liability insurance renewalYearly
- CSCS card expiryAt renewal
- Waste carrier registration renewalAt renewal
Figures Greymill knows, with their sources
- £5 millionMinimum employers’ liability cover the law requires, for any one occurrence.As of Sep 2026. Source: gov.uk
- £90,000VAT registration threshold: register once taxable turnover over the last 12 months goes above it.As of Oct 2026. Source: gov.uk
- 20%CIS deduction a contractor takes from a subcontractor registered for net payment. Unregistered: 30%.As of Sep 2026. Source: gov.uk
Words of the trade it understands
- groundworks
- joinery
- quote and the day rate
- interim application
- payment notice
- pay less notice
- final date for payment
- retention and the defects period
Owners ask, for example
- The main contractor sent a pay less notice the day before payment. Is it valid?
- Do I deduct CIS from a labour-only subbie who is not verified yet?
Free lessons for the UK
- 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
26 sections, about 11,600 wordsRenewals and deadlines Greymill tracks
- Contractor license renewalAt renewal
- EPA RRP firm certification renewalAt renewal
- Workers' comp policy renewalYearly
Figures Greymill knows, with their sources
- $2,000Form 1099-NEC threshold for payments to a non-employee from January 1, 2026.As of Sep 2026. Source: irs.gov
- $1,000California: a job under $1,000 in total labor and materials is minor work, with no contractor license needed.As of Oct 2026. Source: leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
- $16,550Most OSHA can fine per serious violation. Willful or repeated: up to $165,514.As of Oct 2026. Source: osha.gov
Words of the trade it understands
- change order
- pay app
- schedule of values
- retainage
- punch list
- substantial completion
- preliminary notices
- mechanics liens
Owners ask, for example
- The GC is holding my retainage after substantial completion. What are my options?
- Which lien waiver should I sign with this progress payment?
Free lessons for the US
- 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
Questions owners ask
Is there an AI for construction and building?+
Yes. Greymill is an AI team for small businesses that is briefed on construction and building, written separately for the UK and the US: 28 sections for the UK and 26 for the US, about 25,500 words of reviewed industry knowledge, as of Oct 2026.
Which renewals and deadlines does Greymill track for construction and building in the UK?+
In the UK: Employers' liability insurance renewal (yearly); CSCS card expiry (at renewal); Waste carrier registration renewal (at renewal). As of Oct 2026.
Which renewals and deadlines does Greymill track for construction and building in the US?+
In the US: Contractor license renewal (at renewal); EPA RRP firm certification renewal (at renewal); Workers' comp policy renewal (yearly). As of Oct 2026.
Which figures does Greymill know for construction and building in the UK?+
Minimum employers’ liability cover the law requires, for any one occurrence: £5 million (gov.uk, as of Sep 2026). VAT registration threshold: register once taxable turnover over the last 12 months goes above it: £90,000 (gov.uk, as of Oct 2026). CIS deduction a contractor takes from a subcontractor registered for net payment. Unregistered: 30%: 20% (gov.uk, as of Sep 2026).
Which figures does Greymill know for construction and building in the US?+
Form 1099-NEC threshold for payments to a non-employee from January 1, 2026: $2,000 (irs.gov, as of Sep 2026). California: a job under $1,000 in total labor and materials is minor work, with no contractor license needed: $1,000 (leginfo.legislature.ca.gov, as of Oct 2026). Most OSHA can fine per serious violation. Willful or repeated: up to $165,514: $16,550 (osha.gov, as of Oct 2026).
Does Greymill replace my accountant, solicitor or other professional advisers?+
No. Greymill gives you a whole team to think with every day: the numbers modelled, the contract read, the campaign planned, the hire prepared, the filing checklist ready, all before you speak to anyone by the hour. What Greymill produces is software output from the information you give it, so Greymill takes no instruction, owes no professional duty and files nothing unless you send it yourself. Where a matter needs a regulated professional to sign it off, Greymill says so and tells you exactly what to take to them. Customers arrive at their accountant or lawyer with the work done and the questions sharp, which is usually the cheapest hour they will ever buy.
How much does Greymill cost?+
Plans start at £100 a month plus VAT in the UK and $130 a month plus tax in the US. Every plan starts with a 7-day free trial on full Scale access, no card needed.
How Greymill helps
Tell Greymill about your business once. Its sixteen specialists share one memory of it, so the one you ask already knows your trade, your country and your numbers. Connect your books and inbox. Nothing is sent unless you press Send, and your books change only when you press Approve. Greymill files nothing unless you send it yourself and is not a regulated adviser: where a matter needs one, it says so and tells you what to take to them.