The Workers' Comp Ghost Policy: A COI With No Employees to Cover
A workers' comp ghost policy covers nobody — it buys the COI a general contractor demands for $750–$1,200 a year. Who qualifies, and what the audit checks.
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Construction
Accounting practices for construction businesses including job costing, WIP schedules, and retainage
License and Permit Bonds Are Not Contract Bonds: What License Bonds Cost, How Claims Work, and Why Your Bid Bond Won't Satisfy the Board
A US contractor license bond protects the public and costs 1–3% a year; a bid bond protects one project owner and will never satisfy a state licensing board.
A101, A201, A401: A Small Contractor's Guide to the AIA Contract Family
A401's pay-if-paid clause decides whether a slow-paying owner becomes your problem. What A101, A201 and A401 each do, and which blanks to negotiate first.
Louisiana Folded Its Plumbing Board Into the Contractors Board: What HB 953 Means for Your License and Your Shop
Louisiana's HB 953 dissolves the State Plumbing Board on January 1 — journeyman hours drop from 7,000 to 2,500 and the apprentice ratio rises to 1:3.
Renovating a Pre-1978 Home? The EPA Lead-Paint Rule Every Contractor Must Follow
EPA's RRP Rule fines uncertified firms up to $49,772 per violation per day — certify for $300, assign a Certified Renovator, keep records three years.
The Backyard Cottage P&L: What an ADU Really Costs, Earns, and Does to Your Taxes
ADU rental income goes on IRS Schedule E: split shared costs by square footage, depreciate the unit over 27.5 years, and plan for 25% recapture tax at sale.
Conditional vs. Unconditional Lien Waivers: Which One to Sign, and When
A lien waiver comes in four forms, and two words decide whether you kept your lien rights. Conditional waivers release rights only if the payment clears, so they go out with the invoice; unconditional waivers release immediately whether or not you are paid, so they go out only after funds clear the bank. Includes the through-date, retainage, and preliminary-notice rules that make the system hold up.
Washington's Homeowner Recovery Program Is Now Paying Claims: A Contractor Bookkeeping and Registration Survival Guide
Since July 1, 2026, a Washington homeowner holding an unsatisfied court judgment against a registered contractor can collect up to $25,000 per parcel from L&I's Homeowner Recovery Program, and the state then pursues the contractor for reimbursement. This guide covers the eligibility rules, the $30,000 general and $15,000 specialty bond requirements, and the job-costing, change-order, retention and sales-tax bookkeeping habits that keep a dispute from ending in a judgment.
New Jersey Home Improvement Contractor Licensing: What Changed and How to Stay Compliant
New Jersey is converting home improvement contracting from registration to licensure under P.L.2023 c.237, with licensing provisions effective February 1, 2026. Registration still costs $110 a year, requires $500,000 in general liability coverage and a displayed 13VH number, and any contract over $500 must be written — violations are automatic Consumer Fraud Act unlawful practices carrying treble damages plus attorney's fees, while unregistered contractors generally cannot sue to collect payment.
California's New 5% Retention Cap: What Contractors Must Change About Retainage in 2026
California SB 61 caps retention on private construction contracts signed on or after January 1, 2026 at 5% per progress payment and 5% of the contract price in total, down from the 10% industry norm — here is who it covers, the residential and bonding exceptions, and how to rebuild your retainage receivable schedule so the freed-up cash actually reaches your account.
Collecting Certificates of Insurance From Every Subcontractor: What a COI Must Show and the Audit Bill for Skipping It
A certificate of insurance you cannot produce on audit day turns subcontractor payments into your own payroll, billed at your trade rates. Here are the seven things every subcontractor COI must show, the five triggers for demanding a new one, and why certificate holder status is not the same as being an additional insured.
Crane Rental and Rigging Bookkeeping: What Your Boom Truck Really Costs Per Lift
A crane rental company is three businesses sharing one yard — equipment, labor, and logistics. This guide covers 5-year MACRS treatment for cranes, the $2.5M Section 179 limit and permanent 100% bonus depreciation, splitting bare from operated rental in the chart of accounts, per-lift job costing including mobilization, and the utilization math behind an idle fleet that can cost $209,000 a year.