Consulting for electrical businesses
Electrical Business Consultant for Contractors and Service Shops
Big jobs look profitable on the estimate. The question is whether they still are when the last panel is energized.
The situation
What we usually find in electrical contractors
Electrical contractors carry more estimating risk than most trades. Material prices move, scope creeps, and change orders get performed long before they get approved.
The fix usually isn't a new software package. It's closing the loop between what was estimated and what actually happened, on enough jobs to see the pattern.
Job costing that closes the loop
Estimated hours versus actual hours, by job type and by crew. Without this, every estimate is a guess dressed up as a number.
Change order discipline
Unapproved work is the most common profit leak in electrical contracting. A written process and a single owner of that process pays for itself immediately.
Material escalation
Quote validity windows, escalation clauses and buyout timing are pricing decisions, not paperwork.
Service work as a margin stabilizer
A small, well-priced service division can carry overhead between projects and smooth cash flow dramatically.
Apprentice leverage
The ratio of journeyman to apprentice hours drives gross margin more than hourly rates do.
Retainage and cash timing
Profit on paper and cash in the account are separated by retainage, billing cycles and slow general contractors.
Where this leads
Related services
If the issue is pricing and margin, see the profitability review. If it's scheduling, delegation and daily flow, see operations consulting. If the same mistakes keep repeating, start with process improvement.
Other industries
Every Business Has Something That Needs Tightening.
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$500 flat fee. No long-term commitment required.