The Builder's Blog: Hidden benefits III: Managing cash flow with EstimatorXpress

EstimatorXpress not only accurately costs your projects quickly and accurately but it also automatically produces essential reports that allow you to analyse all your costs in detail – giving you a complete picture of your cash flow status.

The need to prioritise cash flow remains essential, while also ensuring proper payment is made for the work undertaken.

Proper project cash flow in place helps with:

Obtaining loans and bank monitoring
Contractor progress monitoring
Managing cash within the business - both getting paid and when things need paying.

Any potential lender will also want to see that you have realistically calculated your costs and a package like EstimatorXpress will help you produce an accurate cashflow projection.

Can you show potential lenders every last cost?

Can you present your figures in a professional manner?

Not borrowing money? Then making sure your account stays in the black is critical for every business. Cash is king in a building company and many companies sail rather too close to the wind.

Are you able to keep your account permanently in the black?

EstimatorXpress can help by combining your detailed costings and building program into cash flow tabular report and chart (so you can see your cash flow visually). Combine this with our stage payment bonus pack, (included in EstimatorXpress Ultimate or as a standalone module) and you can see any cash dips in the project and then request appropriate stage payments for your client.

Why should you go into the red because you didn't have the customer's money in the bank in time?

Ultimately good relationships tend to translate into better cash flow. By understanding what it is your client is looking to achieve and their own difficulties, you will not only help them avoid issues, but also be able to see the warning signs (BM Magazine).

Having a ContractsXpert contract in place combined with your stage payment profile and full quotation from EstimatorXpress will help this.