flexiblefullpage -
billboard - default
interstitial1 - interstitial
catfish1 - bottom
Currently Reading

Slow payments cost GCs and subs $64 billion annually

Codes and Standards

Slow payments cost GCs and subs $64 billion annually

Study finds 51-day average payment turnaround.


By Peter Fabris, Contributing Editor | October 17, 2019

Courtesy Pixabay

Delayed payments are costing both general contractors and subcontractors tens of billions annually, according to a new study.

The study was conducted by construction finance platform Rabbet, formerly Contract Simply, in partnership with Procore Technologies. A similar study by Rabbet in 2018 found that slow payments cost subcontractors $40 billion.

This year, the company added general contractors to the study, and found payment delays cost all contractors an estimated $64 billion. More than 60% of subcontractors said they have decided not to bid on certain projects if the owner or general contractor has a reputation for paying late. Some 72% said they would offer a 1% to 5% discount for quicker payments.

Just 39% of subcontractors said that they are able to cover late payments with cash on hand. Slow payments by owners drive up the cost of projects by about 5.3%, according to the study. Owners also risk mechanic’s liens and project shutdowns when they pay late.

Related Stories

| Oct 20, 2011

LEED 2012 to require real-time energy, water use reporting

The LEED 2012 rating system, set to launch in November 2012, will contain features to make sure buildings function as intended, and improve over time.

| Oct 20, 2011

New York City moving to speedier, online design reviews

New York City is moving towards a development design review process that will let officials and developers review blueprints for new projects online in a virtual conference room rather than in person.

| Oct 20, 2011

Michigan bill would let private firms operate as a city’s building department

Michigan House Bill 5011 would change state’s building code to allow private companies to operate as a municipality's building department.

| Oct 20, 2011

Alabama’s strict immigration law drives away construction workers

Alabama's strict new immigration law is driving many construction workers and roofers from the state.

| Oct 20, 2011

Fed bill would allow school rehab funding via historic tax credits

Virginia Sens. Jim Webb (D) and Mark Warner (D) introduced a bill this month to rehab aging schools across the country through the use of historic tax credits.

| Oct 20, 2011

Process leads to new design values for southern pine and other visually graded dimension lumber

A summary of the process used to develop new design values will clarify many of the questions received by the SFPA.

| Oct 19, 2011

Another drop for Architecture Billings Index

Positive conditions seen last month were more of an aberration.

| Oct 18, 2011

Dow Building Solutions invests in two research facilities to deliver data to building and construction industry

  State-of-the-art monitoring system allows researchers to collect, analyze and process the performance of wall systems.

| Oct 14, 2011

ACI partners with CRSI to launch new adhesive anchor certification program

Adhesive anchor installer certification required in new ACI 318-11.

| Oct 13, 2011

New Building Materials Label Focuses On Sustainability

Architectural products company Construction Specialities and design firm Perkins + Will have created a label for building materials to shed light on product content.

boombox1 - default
boombox2 -
native1 -

More In Category




halfpage1 -

Most Popular Content

  1. 2021 Giants 400 Report
  2. Top 150 Architecture Firms for 2019
  3. 13 projects that represent the future of affordable housing
  4. Sagrada Familia completion date pushed back due to coronavirus
  5. Top 160 Architecture Firms 2021