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Construction glossary

What is Section 179?

Section 179 of the Internal Revenue Code is a deduction designed to help certain businesses recover part of the costs associated with the purchase of qualifying equipment, including machinery, vehicles, or computer software. Within the construction industry, this can be a vital tool, allowing construction firms to write off the full purchase price of equipment they have bought or financed during the tax year. Whether it’s for acquiring a new excavator, a truck, or upgrading software, the Section 179 incentive directly strengthens financial capabilities of the companies in the construction sector. This, in turn, encourages business growth and economic development. Claiming this deduction can significantly impact a construction company’s overall operating costs, providing potential major tax relief.

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Other construction terms

Workforce Management

What is Workforce Management?

Workforce Management, in the context of the construction industry, refers to the systematic process of optimizing the efficiency and productivity of a construction firm’s workforce. It entails a wide variety of tasks including scheduling, job assignment, labor demand forecasting, tracking employee attendance, and balancing workloads among employees. Crucially, it also involves ensuring that the right set of skills are properly allocated to the right projects, adhering to project timelines. Workforce Management acts as a vital tool for minimizing unnecessary costs, boosting employee morale and hence, propelling a sustainable business growth. Its effectiveness is often measured through key performance indicators related to cost, time, quality, and safety on a construction site. It is pivotal in coordinating staffing needs, reducing overhead, and driving strategic decision-making in the rapidly evolving and complex construction industry environment.

Depreciation

What is Depreciation?

Depreciation in the construction industry refers to the decrease in value of a building or infrastructure over time due to natural wear and tear, damage, ageing, or obsolescence. It's a concept that pertains to accounting and fiscal management within the construction sector. Recognizing depreciation is crucial for construction companies as it can be used for tax benefits and to predict future costs. Depending on the method used, which can be straight-line, declining balance, or sum-of-years digits, the annual depreciation expense can be calculated. Hence, understanding depreciation is key to a construction company's financial planning and strategy.

Cost of Goods Sold (COGS)

What is Cost of Goods Sold (COGS)?

Cost of Goods Sold (COGS) in the construction industry represents the direct costs associated with the production of goods or services that a company sells. These costs may comprise the cost of raw materials such as lumber, steel, concrete; direct labor costs; storage costs, and direct utility costs. It can also include direct expenses like subcontractor costs, labor burden (i.e., benefits, insurance, taxes related to employee wages), material costs, and equipment costs that are directly attributable to a project's completion. COGS does not include indirect expenses such as sales and distribution costs or overhead costs such as office rent and utilities. In essence, COGS in construction is directly tied to specific projects and is a key factor in determining a project's gross profit and thus a company´s profitability.

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