We get this from clients more than almost anything else.
“We’ve had a good month. Loads of work. But I still don’t feel like there’s much left at the end.”
And when you’re working full weeks, bringing in steady jobs, and still unsure where the money’s going—it’s frustrating. It starts to feel like something’s broken, even if you can’t see where.
What’s Usually Going On
Most of the time, it’s not one big thing—it’s a few small things that build up over time:
- Jobs aren’t priced properly (especially labour and extras)
- Overheads creep up, and no one reviews them
- Invoices are slow to be paid, but bills go out on time
- The books are always two months behind, so you’re working blind
We had a client in construction who thought they were in a decent place.
Jobs coming in, the team busy, bank balance looking okay.
But once we went through the numbers, it turned out their material costs had gone up 20% in the last 12 months—and they hadn’t raised their prices to match.
“We didn’t even notice it happening,” they told us.
“I was just looking at the balance and trying to stay ahead.”
They weren’t doing anything wrong.
But without clear numbers and regular checks, the margins had disappeared.
What Makes a Difference
You don’t need to start analysing everything to the last penny. But you do need a basic system that gives you the full picture.
Here’s what we usually focus on first:
- Making sure your bookkeeping is clean and up to date
- A simple monthly report that shows profit, not just turnover
- Cost reviews every quarter—so you’re not losing money slowly without realising
- A process to track what you’re owed and what’s overdue
One of our clients now spends 15 minutes a week checking their dashboard. That’s it.
But they know what they made last week, what’s still coming in, and whether they’re on track.
That kind of clarity changes how you run the business.
Final Thoughts
You can be busy and still not be profitable.
You can work flat-out and still feel like you’re standing still.
But that can change—if you’ve got the right numbers and the right support behind you.
If you want a better handle on your cash, your costs, or what’s actually working—give us a shout.
We’ll help you see what’s going on and figure out what to do next.
Nothing fancy. Just what’s needed.