What is Long-term Debt?

A Request for Information (RFI) in the construction industry is a formal process through which a party involved in a construction project request details about a document or a process. It acts as a vital communication tool between multiple project parties such as the general contractor, subcontractor, and the design team. This is generally used to resolve information gaps, make decisions or track project changes. The main purpose of an RFI in construction is to eliminate any ambiguity, introduce a control mechanism, avoid unrealistic project expectations and ensure that all participants have a clear understanding of the project. It assists in minimizing project risks and avoids potential disputes related to design issues, cost overruns or schedule delays. It's an essential element in maintaining transparency, effective communication and collaboration within a construction project.

A G703 is a continuation sheet used in the construction industry. It's part of the AIA (American Institute of Architects) document set for contract documents. The G703 form includes a schedule of values listing portions of the work, scheduled values, work completed, materials stored, total completed and stored, percentage of work completed, balance to finish, and the amount of change orders. Hence, it is primarily used for breaking down the contract sum into portions of work in accordance with a schedule of values prepared by the contractor. It provides a running total of completed work and can be updated as work progresses.

Billings in excess of costs (also called overbillings) occur when you’ve invoiced your client for more work than you’ve actually completed or incurred costs for. In other words, it represents getting paid ahead of your work schedule.

Here’s how it works: If you’re a concrete subcontractor on a $100,000 job and you bill 50% upfront ($50,000) but have only completed $30,000 worth of work, that $20,000 difference is your billings in excess of costs. You owe your client that work, and until you complete it, that $20,000 remains as a liability on your balance sheet.

For subcontractors, understanding billing in excess of costs is essential because it can be a strategic cash flow tool when used carefully. For example, when bidding on a job, you can be smart about how you structure your schedule of values (SOV)—breaking work down into more detailed line items that allow earlier billing. However, this strategy requires regular monitoring to ensure:

• Your billing somewhat aligns with your actual percentage complete, and 
• The remaining contract value will still cover your remaining costs.

The biggest risk of overbilling is thinking your margins look better than they are, simply because you’re collecting cash faster. Surety companies and lenders also scrutinize overbillings closely, as excessive amounts can signal poor project management or potential cash flow problems down the road.

With Siteline, you can easily track whether you’re billing in excess of your costs by pulling your month-to-month incurred costs and comparing them against your billing progress. This real-time visibility helps ensure you’re billing appropriately while maintaining realistic profitability expectations. If you’re interested in seeing for yourself, schedule a personalized demo of Siteline here.