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A construction project can be busy and still be losing money

When several sites run at once, cash receipts, subcontractor invoices, materials and payroll do not arrive in a neat sequence. A contractor may see strong turnover while a particular job absorbs more cash or labour than planned. The practical answer is to connect accounting records to each project early enough to act.

In the EIB's 2025 Latvia survey, construction respondents frequently identified business regulation, demand and skilled staff as investment obstacles. Latvia is also simplifying parts of its construction process. Neither fact tells a contractor whether a particular contract is profitable. That requires a reliable project view.

What to track for each job

Give every project a consistent code in the accounting records. Match contract value and approved changes with invoices issued. Allocate supplier, subcontractor, labour and equipment costs to the same code, using a clear method where costs are shared. Separate amounts billed, received and still to be billed. Then compare the expected remaining costs with the expected remaining receipts. A project can show accounting profit while still needing cash for wages and materials before the customer pays.

Project codes connect contract changes, invoices, labour and subcontractor costs to a monthly margin and cash review.

How FinSynta helps

We agree a project list and cost categories with the contractor, establish how invoices and timesheets reach the accounts, and review the records for missing or misallocated costs. Each month we prepare a job-level view of revenue, direct cost, margin and cash timing from the available evidence. We flag changes that need the owner's attention: rising subcontractor cost, unbilled approved work, overdue customer payments or a forecast cash gap. Accounting and payroll questions are checked against the relevant records before filing.

This finance workflow sits alongside the contractor's project management and construction compliance work. Building permits, technical approvals and engineering decisions remain with the responsible specialists.

Unsure which projects are actually funding the business?

Tell FinSynta how many jobs you run and how costs are currently recorded. We can map the information needed for a useful project margin and cash view.

Sources checked 26 October 2026: EIB Investment Survey 2025: Latvia; Latvian Ministry of Economics on construction-process changes.