Monthly pay applications
Schedule of values, percent complete, change orders, stored materials, and retainage math — in a different format or portal for every GC. Days of work each month, and errors delay payment.
Finance automation for commercial specialty subs · Southern California
Get paid on time, every time.
We automate pay applications, retainage tracking, and lien waivers for electrical, mechanical, plumbing, and fire protection subcontractors — on top of the accounting system you already run. Then we keep it running for you.
- No rip-and-replace
- Done for you, not another tool
- Built for $5–50M subs
Most subs in the $5–50M range still run billing on spreadsheets, email, and one overworked project accountant. The work is document-heavy, deadline-driven, and compliance-sensitive — and every mistake shows up as cash you don't collect.
The problem
Seven places cash leaks out of a commercial sub
Pay apps, retainage, and change orders cost subs the most. The rest quietly erode margins, bonding capacity, and lien rights.
Retainage
Withheld amounts pile up across finished projects. Release eligibility goes untracked, so cash sits uncollected.
Change orders
Work gets done before paperwork is signed, then sits unbilled or disputed. Often the single biggest profit leak.
Lien waivers & preliminary notices
Conditional and unconditional waivers must go out with each payment. A late preliminary notice can forfeit lien rights.
Supplier invoices & job costing
Distributor invoices must be matched to POs and coded to job and cost code. Miscoding corrupts every report built on it.
WIP schedules
The monthly WIP report drives bonding capacity and bank covenants — yet it's usually built by hand in Excel, late, and not trusted.
Downstream compliance
Insurance certificates, workers' comp, and license checks for sub-tier vendors; certified payroll and prevailing wage on public works.
Our approach
Not another software tool. We make your systems work — and run them for you.
Pay-app tools, lien platforms, and GC payment portals already exist. Plenty of subs bought one that never stuck, because nobody had time to implement and maintain it. That's the gap we fill.
We connect your accounting system, your project tools, and the GC portals, automate the paperwork in between, and stay on to monitor and fix it. Already own a tool? We'll implement and connect it.
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Tied to visible cash
Every engagement starts with a dollar figure: retainage ready for release, change orders waiting to be billed, receivables that should already be in the bank.
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Fixes the monthly grind
Pay apps and waivers hit every month. Automating them gives your controller days back — every month.
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No rip-and-replace
We sit on top of QuickBooks Enterprise, Sage, Foundation, Spectrum, Procore, and the portals you already use.
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Better bonding conversations
A timely, trustworthy WIP schedule is what your surety broker and bank want to see.
Services
Start with a diagnostic. Build what pays for itself.
A simple ladder: find the cash, automate the work, then keep it running. Ideally the diagnostic uncovers enough recoverable cash to fund the first build.
Cash Recovery Diagnostic
A focused review of your receivables, retainage, unbilled change orders, and pay-app process. You get a roadmap with real dollar figures attached.
- Retainage eligible for release
- Unbilled and disputed change orders
- Pay-app and waiver process map
- Integration check of your systems
Fixed fee · from $2,500
Book a diagnosticPay App & Lien Automation
Our core build for getting paid on time.
- Schedule of values & pay-app assembly
- Change order tracking
- Retainage tracking with release alerts
- Lien waiver & preliminary notice workflow
Project build · scoped from diagnostic
AP & Job Cost Automation
Clean costs, clean reports.
- AI intake of supplier invoices
- PO and job matching
- Cost code assignment
- Approval routing
Project build · scoped from diagnostic
Managed Finance Ops
We keep it running so it actually sticks.
- Monitoring and fixes
- Monthly WIP & cash dashboard
- Quarterly process review
Monthly retainer
Coming next: certified payroll and prevailing wage reporting for public-works subs.
How it works
From spreadsheet chaos to a steady monthly close
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1
Diagnose
We sit with your controller, pull the numbers, and confirm what your accounting system allows — APIs, exports, ODBC, or database access.
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2
Prioritize
You get a roadmap ranked by cash impact. The highest-dollar fix goes first.
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3
Build
We automate the workflow on top of your existing systems. Lien deadlines and statutory waiver forms are reviewed against California law with a construction attorney.
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4
Run
We monitor, fix, and report every month, so the automation keeps working after the kickoff energy fades.
Who we serve
Built for bonded SoCal specialty subs
If you have one controller holding the whole billing cycle together, we were built for you. Owners make the call — but controllers are who we work alongside every day.
See if you're a fitTrades
ElectricalMechanical / HVACPlumbingFire protectionLow-voltageSimilar specialty trades
Size
Roughly $5–50M in revenue, with 10–60 active projects at a time.
Team
A controller or project accountant — often just one — who is overloaded.
Bonding
Bonded today, or looking to grow your bonding capacity.
Systems we work with
QuickBooks EnterpriseSage 100 ContractorSage 300 CREFoundationSpectrumProcoreGC pay portals
For partners
Your clients' paperwork problems are our specialty
We work alongside the advisors who already see where subcontractor finances break down.
Surety brokers & bonding agents
Bonding capacity depends on timely, accurate financials and WIP. Better client reporting means better outcomes for you.
Construction CPAs
You prepare the reviewed and audited statements and see the year-end scramble. We fix it upstream, month by month.
Construction attorneys
Lien and payment disputes often start with sloppy paperwork. We help clients get it right the first time.
Distributor credit managers
Supply houses extend credit to subs and need them paid. Subs who bill on time pay on time.
Associations & CFMA chapters
We're glad to lead an education session on recovering retainage and speeding up pay apps.
FAQ
Common questions
Do we have to switch accounting systems?
No. We build on top of what you already run. Every diagnostic confirms exactly what your system allows — some construction ERPs have solid APIs, others need exports, ODBC, or file-based integration. We work with all of them.
We already bought a pay-app or lien tool. Can you help?
Yes. Many subs own a tool that never got fully implemented. We can set it up, connect it to your accounting system, and run it for you.
How do you handle California lien law?
Preliminary notice deadlines, statutory waiver forms, and payment timing are reviewed with a construction attorney before anything is automated.
What does the diagnostic cost, and what do we get?
It's a fixed-fee engagement starting at $2,500. You get a review of receivables, retainage, unbilled change orders, and your pay-app process, plus a prioritized roadmap with dollar figures.
Do you only work in Orange County?
We're based in Orange County and focused on commercial subcontractors across Southern California.
Get started
Find the cash you're already owed
Tell us a little about your company. We'll follow up to schedule a short call and see whether a Cash Recovery Diagnostic makes sense.
- 30-minute intro call, no obligation
- We'll ask about pay-app hours, retainage outstanding, and your accounting system
- Orange County & Southern California
- Prefer email? outreach@hatchworksolutions.com
30767 Gateway Place #524
Rancho Mission Viejo, CA 92694
USA