credit cards, 56
credit ratings, 18–19
credit unions, 31–32
customer complaints, 121–125
customer demographics, 27, 103, 105
customer service, 51, 121–125, 134
D
data storage, 53
delegating, 21–22
depreciation, 76
design/build contracting companies, 4–5
detail, attention to, 58
differentiation, 26
difficult clients, 123–124
direct costs, 67–72, 75, 78, 80, 89
disciplining employees, 114
documentation, 43
domain names, 104
E
earnings statements, 28
economic importance of contracting industry, 5–6
educational opportunities, 9, 11, 15–16, 114–115
employee handbooks, 110–111
employees
applications and hiring forms, 111
bonuses and incentives, 77, 114, 117
communicating with, 20–21, 133–134
contractors vs., 41–42
payroll records, 45
payroll taxes, 68–70
performance records, 44
retaining, 115–116
training, 11–12, 59–60, 106, 122
wages and benefits, 42–43, 112–115
Employer Identification Number (EIN), 40
employment taxes, 68–70
engineering requirements, 11
equipment and tools, 16–17, 50–55, 76
equity, return on, 85
equity financing, 30–31
estimates, 80–83
executive summaries, 26
expense and revenue tracking, 91–95