A commercial fit-out or a multi-unit rough-in can do more for your year than a month of callouts. But bigger jobs don't just mean more work. They change how you get paid, when you get paid, and how much you carry in between.

What changes when the job gets bigger‍

• How you're paid: one invoice at the end becomes progress claims by stage.
• When the money lands: often 30 days or more after each claim, not on the day.
• Who carries the costs: you do, covering materials and wages for weeks.
• Paperwork: a quote and invoice becomes a contract, claims, variations and retention.

None of that has to stop you taking on bigger work. It just means planning for it before you sign. Here’s how, in four steps.

1. Price it properly

On a callout, a pricing mistake costs you an hour. On a ten-week job, it can cost you the whole margin. Most underquoting starts with labour. Once super, on-costs and non-billable time are in, your true cost per hour is a lot higher than the wage. The guide shows you how to work out yours, plus the costs most often left off bigger-job quotes.

2. Plan the cash gap

Profit and cash aren't the same thing. In the guide's example, materials and wages go out from week one, but the first progress payment doesn't land for eight weeks. Two simple changes cut that gap by $12,000. The guide shows which two, and how to map the gap on your own job.

3. Lock it in on paper

On bigger jobs, the contract decides when you get paid. Payment schedules, variations and retention all need to be in writing before work starts. A verbal "yeah, just do it" is the hardest money to collect.

4. Resource it

‍Winning the job is half of it. The other half is delivering it without dropping the regular customers who keep your cash moving. The guide has a quick crew-hours check to see if the job fits.

What's in the free guide‍

• The four steps, worked through on a $60,000 example
• A job-costing worksheet
• A cash plan template to find your peak gap
• A pre-signing contract checklist
• A bigger-job readiness scorecard
• A spreadsheet version of the worksheets (Excel and Google Sheets)

The bottom line

Bigger jobs can grow your business, but they test your cashflow. Know your numbers and your peak gap before you sign, not halfway through the job.

Download the free guide →

If your business has a Reece trade account and an active ABN, you can apply for a Laddr line of credit from $3,000 to $250,000. Assessment is based primarily on your Reece trading history. Call our team on 1800 522 822.

This article is general information only and isn't financial, legal or tax advice. All examples are illustrative. Credit provided by TruePillars Pty Ltd (ABN 36 603 933 508) and its subsidiaries. Eligibility criteria and terms and conditions apply.