CountBricks Subcontractor Payment Software for Residential

Streamlining Subcontractor Payments in Residential Construction

Managing cash flow is crucial for residential general contractors. Delays in subcontractor payments can slow projects, strain relationships, and reduce profits. CountBricks subcontractor payment software addresses these challenges by automating the payment process and integrating with our voice-driven estimating engine. This ensures that every conversation on-site is transformed into actionable data, keeping your projects on track.

Challenges in Subcontractor Payments

• Fragmented documentation: Paper change orders, text approvals, and spreadsheets create inconsistencies.
• Manual calculations: Errors arise from percent-complete calculations and retainage tracking on spreadsheets.
• Data re-entry: Estimators, project managers, and bookkeepers repeatedly enter the same data.
• Delayed approvals: Busy owners may forget to sign pay apps, causing payment delays.
• Compliance issues: Misplaced lien waivers, insurance certificates, and W-9s.

How CountBricks Solves Payment Issues

CountBricks software integrates directly with your estimates, allowing for quick and accurate pay applications.

• Voice-captured quantities automatically populate pay apps.
• Real-time material pricing ensures accurate draw values.
• Digital signatures expedite approval processes and create audit trails.
• Automated retainage rules manage holdbacks without manual intervention.

From Estimate to Payment: A Step-by-Step Guide

1. Conduct a site walk-through while CountBricks AI captures dimensions and assemblies.
2. Review and finalize the estimate on CountBricks.com.
3. Invite subcontractors via CountBricks dashboards, linking scope lines to the master schedule.
4. Subcontractors upload crew hours or percent complete via mobile, with automatic photo attachments.
5. CountBricks flags any budget or schedule discrepancies.
6. General contractors approve with one tap; lien waivers auto-generate for e-signature.
7. Funds are transferred to subcontractors' accounts the same day via ACH.

Benefits for Residential Builders

• Faster draws from lenders with consolidated PDFs matching lender forms.
• Improved subcontractor satisfaction with predictable, on-time payments.
• Reduced disputes through consistent, live data.
• Lower overhead as project admins spend less time on pay packets.
• Real-time profitability updates as payments post.

Ensuring Security and Compliance

CountBricks software provides a secure, digital trail for residential lending inspectors. All signed draw requests, lien waivers, and invoices are stored in secure cloud folders with two-factor authentication and bank-level encryption. Permissions are customizable, ensuring subcontractors see only their relevant data.

Time-Saving Integrations

CountBricks integrates seamlessly with:

• CountBricks blueprint takeoffs for direct quantity-to-cost code flow.
• CountBricks schedule for automatic progress billing.
• QuickBooks Online for nightly ledger synchronization.

Case Study: Mid-Size General Contractor Success

A Texas-based general contractor implemented CountBricks for a 25-home subdivision, reducing the average payment cycle from 18 days to 4 days and cutting admin hours from 12 to under 2 per week. Subcontractors offered early-pay discounts, increasing project profits by $14,000.

Getting Started

• Book a live demo at CountBricks.com.
• Upload a recent estimate for a sample pay cycle setup.
• Train your staff with guided walkthroughs in under an hour.

Future-Proof Your Cash Flow

In an industry facing material volatility and labor shortages, CountBricks subcontractor payment software provides a strategic advantage by accelerating payment processes and reducing friction. Keep your projects on schedule with CountBricks.

Setting Retainage Rules with CountBricks

Retainage is essential for protecting owners but can impact subcontractor cash flow if not managed properly. CountBricks allows you to customize holdback percentages per cost code and automatically release them upon milestone completion.

Configuring Retainage

1. Access 'Payment Settings' in your project on CountBricks.com.
2. Set the default retainage rate, typically 5% to 10% for residential projects.
3. Override specific cost codes if different terms are negotiated.
4. Define release triggers such as inspection approval or date-based milestones.

Post-Configuration Process

• Pay apps display retained amounts separately for subcontractor transparency.
• Upon meeting triggers, CountBricks notifies stakeholders and processes retainage in the next payment cycle.
• Dashboards update projected cash needs to prevent last-minute financial scrambles.

Pro Tips for Residential General Contractors

• Discuss retainage terms upfront to avoid back-end negotiations.
• Use photo milestones for faster approval processes.
• Offer early-release incentives to maintain project momentum.

Case Study: Custom Home Builder Success

A Colorado custom builder utilized CountBricks retainage automation for a $1.2M mountain home project, eliminating retainage errors and reducing final payment processing time from 14 days to 3 days. The organized digital records also resulted in a positive lender audit.