Job costing for waterproofing contractors

Waterproofing margins usually die in surface prep: more patching, more grinding, or more cleaning than the bid assumed. JobMargin gives prep its own budget, so you see the overrun the day prep is done and can raise it with the owner while the evidence is fresh.

What waterproofing contractors track in JobMargin

• Surface prep as its own line. Prep is where hidden conditions show up. A separate budget makes the overrun obvious, and arguable.
• Material by the gallon or roll. Coatings, membranes, and sealants post to the job, and units include gallons (GAL).
• Photos of conditions. The crew adds photos to the daily log, which is your backup for a change order on unforeseen conditions.
• Change orders into the contract. Extra prep or added joints go in as change orders and straight into the contract value.

Set up for waterproofing from the first day

When you pick Waterproofing as your trade, JobMargin loads these cost categories for budgets, receipts, and job costs. You can rename or add your own at any time.

• Membrane & Coatings
• Labor
• Sealants
• Surface Prep
• Equipment Rental
• Fuel
• Subcontractor
• Other

Bid line items use the units waterproofing actually bid in: square feet (SF), linear feet (LF), gallons (GAL), each (EA), and lump sum (LS).

Example: what a waterproofing job looks like mid-way

Shot-blast prep, urethane traffic coating on 42,000 sq ft, and expansion joint sealants. Prep is done and the coating is about 40% down.

Coating material is on pace at 42% with about 40% down. Surface prep is the problem: it’s finished, and it came in at 114% of budget, about $1,900 over, because the deck needed more patching than the bid assumed. That’s a change order conversation to have with the owner now, with the daily log photos to back it up.

Guides and tools for waterproofing contractors