Fluctuations in material costs, late payments and payroll issues are common issues in the construction industry, and they all affect cash flow. Therefore, creating accurate cash flow projections is crucial if you want to know how much cash you have to pay for added expenses and take on new projects.

In this article, we’ll explore the challenges of cash flow management for contractors, the benefits of cash flow projection for a construction company and some strategies for effective cash management.

Construction projects include many expenses, such as materials, equipment and labor. When a contractor can’t pay their expenses, they can gain a poor reputation in the industry and may even go bankrupt. Cash flow projections help contractors manage their cash flow and ensure they have enough cash to pay for expenses.

Cash flow forecasting for construction projects can also help contractors ensure they have enough funds to complete current projects and take on new ones.

Cash flow projection can help contractors predict future cash flow issues, which can help determine which projects pose a risk to cash flow. Cash flow projections can also help contractors create a more accurate budget.

Software like Cash Flow Frog also provides a scenario analysis tool that allows contractors to predict cash flow under many different circumstances, such as changes in material and labor costs. This type of cash flow projection can help contractors better plan for all risks.

Cash flow projection for a construction company is not always a straightforward process and comes with challenges such as:

1. Late payments

Late payments are a common occurrence in the construction industry. Cash tied up in late payments could be used to pay expenses or grow your business.

2. Overspending on projects

Many contractors go over budget on their projects by not properly accounting for expenses or external factors that may affect the project.

3. Managing payroll expenses

Construction projects often take longer than initially planned, resulting in higher-than-expected payroll expenses. 

4. Change orders

Change orders are when there is a change to the project scope, usually adding costs to finish the project. These added expenses can drastically change cash flow forecasts.

Successful cash flow forecasting requires high-quality, relevant data. Track all of your income and expenses using accounting programs like QuickBooks. Establish a standardized data collection procedure to keep your financial data organized and complete.

Using high-quality data to create cash flow statements and forecasts will give you a better picture of your company’s financial health and will help you create more realistic budgets.

To plan for external factors, use scenario forecasts to predict cash flow under different circumstances, for example, when material prices rise or the project scope changes. Predicting cash flow in a variety of scenarios can give you a more realistic forecast and can help you foresee cash flow issues.

The key to successful cash flow projections is the continuous improvement of your forecasting methods. Always compare your forecasts with actual cash flow to identify what went wrong with your forecasts and how you can improve them in the future.

You can create a cash flow projection report by using a free cash flow forecast construction example template. However, filling in a template and doing the calculations through Excel can be time-consuming and prone to error.

Cash flow software makes it easy to create accurate cash flow reports. Software like Cash Flow Frog automatically imports accounting data from accounting platforms to create reports based on up-to-date information. You can also create customizable reports that use charts and graphs to show key information only.

There are many free cash flow tools and resources online, including cash flow templates and video tutorials on creating forecasts. Cash Flow Frog is a useful cash flow tool that comes with features such as customer insights, scenario forecasts, planned versus actual cash flow analysis and integration with other programs.

Late payments, overspending on projects and change orders are common occurrences for contractors. These all cause changes in cash flow, making it important to properly manage cash flow and predict cash on hand to complete projects and take on new ones.

Using a cash flow forecast construction example template can be time-consuming and error-prone. For more efficient forecasting, use cash flow software to create real-time forecasts based on data from your existing accounting software. Scenario forecasts and planned vs actual comparisons can also improve cash flow forecasts.