The ProfitDig Blog
Insights, strategies, and news for the modern contractor.
Why Your Best Guys Keep Leaving (and What to Do About It)
You finally find that one guy who can do it all. Shows up on time. Gets along with everyone. Knows his trade inside and out. Then one day, he quits. What happened? You paid him fair. You thought he was happy. But he’s gone and you’re left scrambling to fill the gap. If that story […]
5 Red Flags That Your Crew Is Costing You Money
If your profit keeps disappearing even when you bid the job right, the problem might not be your numbers. It might be your crew. Labor is one of the biggest expenses on any construction job, and even small inefficiencies add up fast. The problem is, most contractors are too busy putting out fires to notice […]
Why Cheap Bids Cost You More in the End
Every contractor wants to win jobs. The competition is tough, and it is tempting to come in with the lowest number just to land the work. On the surface, this looks like a smart move. The client picks you, you get the job, and your crew stays busy. But here is the truth. Cheap bids […]
Estimating Equipment Costs: Do Not Forget These Hidden Numbers
Equipment is one of the biggest costs in construction. But many small contractors forget to count all the hidden numbers. When that happens, the job that looked profitable ends up losing money. The first hidden cost is fuel. Machines do not run for free. If you are running a dozer, an excavator, or even a […]
What Your Bid Says About You (and How to Make It Look Professional)
A bid is not just a price. It is a message about your business. When a client looks at your bid, they are asking themselves a simple question. Can I trust this contractor? Many small contractors put together bids in a rush. Maybe it is a few numbers on a sheet of paper. Maybe it […]
The 5-Minute Math Mistake That Can Sink a Job
Ever bid a job in a hurry? You grab your calculator, punch in some numbers, scribble a few totals, and boom – you’ve got a price. Five minutes later, you’re on to the next thing. The problem is, one tiny math mistake in that quick calculation can cost you thousands of dollars. Contractors lose money […]
WTH is an RFI? (And Other Letters That Matter)
If you’ve been in construction for more than five minutes, you’ve probably had some fancy acronym tossed your way. Someone sends you paperwork labeled “RFI,” or an owner asks for an “RFP,” and you’re left scratching your head wondering what alphabet soup has to do with pouring concrete. Don’t worry. You’re not alone. A lot […]
Don’t Let Your Profits Disappear with the Summer Heat
Summer can be a wild ride for contractors. Crews are stretched thin, days are long, and jobs pile up faster than you can keep track of them. By the time fall rolls around, you might be too exhausted to think about anything other than catching your breath. But before you put summer in the rearview […]
Why Fall is the Best Time to Get Your Bidding Game in Shape
When the long days of summer start to fade and the leaves begin to change, most contractors finally get a chance to catch their breath. The summer rush is often the busiest stretch of the year, with crews running wide open and bids flying out the door. But when fall arrives, things usually slow down […]
You Can’t Manage What You Don’t Track: The Contractor’s Guide to Job Costing
Imagine taking a cross-country road trip without ever checking your gas gauge. You might make it. But odds are, you will run out of fuel in the middle of nowhere. Running construction jobs without job costing is the same thing. You might get by, but sooner or later, you are going to run out of […]