Contractor's Survival Manual

This completely revised edition explains what it really takes to survive hard times in the construction industry and how to take full advantage of the profit cycle in good economic times.

Whether you re just getting started or have been bidding jobs and meeting payroll for years, this practical manual will suggest unique ways to overcome your most persistent problems getting through a debt crisis: what to do when bills can't be paid, finding money and buying time, conserving income, transferring debt, handling creditors, choosing assets to liquidate, setting payment priorities, cash float techniques, alternatives to bankruptcy, dealing with lawsuits, judgments and liens and laying the foundation for recovery.

Then there's building sales and profits using other people's cash, becoming a great salesman, setting goals, using limited partnerships, building financial reserves, accurate estimating, calculating overhead, contingency and profit margins. Completely updated, including major new sections on the use of personal computers for bookkeeping, estimating and scheduling, and Web addresses that have additional useful information.

You won t find conventional advice in this book. Instead, expect to learn what is really needed to survive, stabilize and thrive as a construction contractor.