In order to succeed in a construction business you have to be able to mark up the price of your jobs to cover overhead expenses and make a decent profit. The problem is how much to mark it up. You don't want to lose jobs because you charge too much, and you don't want to work for free because you've charged too little. If you know how much to mark up you can apply it to your job costs and arrive at the right sales price for your work. This book gives you the background and the calculations necessary to easily figure the markup that is right for your business. Includes a CD-ROM with forms and checklists for your use.

God cares a great deal more about our money than most of us imagine. The sheer enormity of Scripture’s teaching on this subject screams for our attention. In fact, Jesus says more about how we are to view and handle money and possessions than about any other topic—including both heaven and hell. In Managing God's Money, Randy Alcorn breaks down exactly what the Bible has to say about how we are to handle our money and posessions in a simple, easy-to-follow format. Filled with Scripture references, Managing God's Money is the perfect reference tool for anyone who is interested in gaining a solid biblical understanding of money, possessions, and eternity.

This is a book for people like us, and we all know who we are. We make our own hours, keep our own profits, chart our own way. We have things like gigs, contracts, clients, and assignments. All of us are working toward our dreams: doing our own work, on our own time, on our own terms. We have no real boss, no corporate nameplate, no cubicle of our very own. Unfortunately, we also have no 401(k)s and no one matching them, no benefits package, and no one collecting our taxes until April 15th. It’s time to take stock of where you are and where you want to be. Ask yourself: Who is planning for your retirement? Who covers your expenses when clients flake out and checks are late? Who is setting money aside for your taxes? Who is responsible for your health insurance? Take a good look in the mirror: You are. The Money Book for Freelancers, Part-Timers, and the Self-Employed describes a completely new, comprehensive system for earning, spending, saving, and surviving as an independent worker. From interviews with financial experts to anecdotes from real-life freelancers, plus handy charts and graphs to help you visualize key concepts, you’ll learn about topics including: • Managing Cash Flow When the Cash Isn’t Flowing Your Way • Getting Real About What You’re Really Earning • Tools for Getting Out of Debt and Into Financial Security • Saving Consistently When You Earn Irregularly • What To Do When a Client’s Check Doesn’t Come In • Health Savings Accounts and How To Use Them • Planning for Retirement, Taxes and Dreams—All On Your Own

In the wake of the recent financial crisis, many will agree that it is time for a fresh approach to portfolio management. The Complete Guide to Portfolio Construction and Management provides practical investment advice for building a robust, diversified portfolio. Written by a high-profile investment adviser, this book reveals a practical portfolio management framework and new approach to portfolio construction based on four key market forces: macro, fundamental, technical, and behavioural. It is an insight that takes the focus off numbers, looking instead at the role of risk and behavior in finance. As we have seen with the recent finance meltdown, traditional portfolio management techniques are flawed. Investors need to understand those flaws and learn how to incorporate risk management and behavioral finance into their asset management strategies. With a foreword by industry leader Francois-Serge L'habitant, this is your one-stop guide, with new ways for you to manage, grow and preserve your investment portfolio, even in uncertain markets.

This is the book you should have bought the day you decided you could make more money running a construction company than banging nails for somebody else. It provides you with the answers to those business questions that plague contractors: what am I doing wrong and what's stopping me from making the money that I deserve? You'll meet Mike, a remodeler who thought he owned a business but actually had a low-paying job. Many contractors start out like Mike. This book, in a very simple and easy to understand way, follows Mike as he learns to understand his numbers, adopts new systems, and creates a repeatable process for profit. "Every contractor should read this book. It is the first and only book that makes the numbers game easy to understand, but, more importantly, easy to incorporate into a contractor's business. Bravo!" - Shawn McCadden, CR, CLC, CAPS, award-winning remodeler, columnist, and nationally recognized remodeling industry specialist. "The authors have distilled many of the mysteries of the small-business person who can no longer manage the business by quick thinking and fast actions." - Mike Gorman, CR, construction industry author and speaker. "Contractors love a good story, and that's what they get. All of the basics are covered, including cash flow analysis, distinguishing job costs from overhead expenses, and calculating mark-up." - Sal Alfano, Editorial Director, Hanley Wood Business Media. Melanie Hodgdon (Business Systems Management, Inc.) and Leslie Shiner, MBA (The ShinerGroup) both manage successful consulting and coaching companies. With over 40 years combined experience, they help contractors better understand and improve business practices and maximize profits. In 2007, they began to work on a series of joint projects that would capitalize on their combined talents. This book is one product of that collaboration.

If you are a great craftsman and project manager but not good at numbers or paperwork, then you need to learn how. Finding Hidden Profits: A Guide for Custom Builders, Remodelers, and Architects shows you step-by-step how to position your business to make more money through these five key elements: * Allowances * Change orders * Draw schedules * Detailed specifications * Comprehensive contracts With more than 30 years of experience working on 300+ projects, from high-end custom homes to remodeling, smoke and fire damage, and annual property maintenance, Dennis Dixon knows how important it is to provide quality work on time and on budget. From choosing the right clients to setting expectations through clear communications and a comprehensive contract, Finding Hidden Profits provides practical advice, simple formulas, and useful tips you can use to start finding the profits hidden in your business today!