Mention “green building” and most contractors think of the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program. LEED may be the front-runner in green building rating systems, but it’s not the only game in town. Here are some others you may encounter when working with project owners: BREEAM USA (breeam.com/usa) Founded […]
Category: Construction
Industry Trends: Megaprojects are on the Rise
They’re big, and they’re big business. Megaprojects — large-scale and often high-profile construction projects that cost $1 billion or more — are taking the industry by storm. When compared with “standard” projects, megaprojects are a different animal. They have ambitious objectives, lengthy lead times, amplified complexity and intense stakeholder involvement. Consequently, they come with bigger […]
Adjusting Your Financial Statements for COVID-19 Tax Relief Measures
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, signed into law on March 27, 2020, contains several tax-related provisions for businesses hit by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis. Those provisions will also have an impact on financial reporting. Companies that issue financial statements under U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) are required to follow […]
Reviewing The Finer Points of the Section 199A Tax Deduction
It’s been over a year since the IRS issued final regulations regarding Internal Revenue Code Section 199A. This Code Section created a tax deduction enabling owners of sole proprietorships, partnerships, limited liability companies and S corporations to write off up to 20% of their qualified business income (QBI). If your construction company is organized under […]
A SURGICAL APPROACH: Sharpen Your Project Accounting with Activity-Based Costing
Activity-based costing is an accounting methodology that identifies activities and assigns a cost to each one based on resources consumed. It’s often associated with manufacturing but can be applied to construction as well. Many contractors are pleasantly surprised by the results of activity-based costing in comparison with more traditional job-costing methods, which typically rely on […]
4 Ways AI Is Impacting the Construction Industry
Thanks in part to the Internet (of Things) and cloud computing, artificial intelligence (AI) has transitioned from science fiction to everyday life. The impact of AI is already felt throughout our daily lives — from automated spam email detection to viewing suggestions on our favorite streaming service to smart speakers that put voice commands into […]
Walk the Talk: Prioritizing Company Core Values
Do your employees know your construction company’s core values? Are they (and you) applying these values to daily operations and decision making? Are you using the values to build your brand and reputation in the marketplace? If you had a hard time answering the above questions, it may be time to revisit the concept of […]
Viewing Your Lender as a Business Partner
It’s easy to get intimidated when applying for a business loan. You have the need; the bank has the money — how can you win them over? One way to lower the stress level is to view your lender as a partner rather than a gatekeeper. After all, it needs your business just as much […]
A SYMBIOTIC BOND – How WIP reports relate to your financial statements
Construction work in progress (WIP) reports are too often ignored and less often fully understood. Your WIP reports share a symbiotic bond with your financial statements — the two should be consistent in the information they present. Let’s look at four different schedules of a typical WIP report and discuss how they relate to your […]
Is Risk Management Software A Worthy Investment?
“My construction company recently underwent an audit by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Among the most important findings is that our safety and insurance documentation is inadequately organized. While researching the matter, I learned that there’s software available to help businesses with this problem. But is it a worthy investment, or would I […]