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Cash FlowGlossary Term

Alteration

A formal change to an existing contract's scope, timeline, or pricing. Subcontractors must document alterations in writing to protect payment entitlements. Verbal agreements alone rarely hold up during disputes or audits.

Related Terms

Operating Days

Cash Flow

The number of days equipment or crews are actively deployed and generating billable revenue on a job site. Subcontractors use this figure to track utilisation, forecast earnings, and negotiate day-rate contracts. Downtime, mobilisation delays, or weather shutdowns typically do not count as operating days.

Phased Handover

Cash Flow

A structured process where completed sections of a project are formally transferred to the client in stages rather than all at once. Each phase triggers its own inspection, sign-off, and often a progress payment. Subcontractors must track completion milestones carefully to avoid billing delays.

Triple-Net Lease

Cash Flow

A property lease where the tenant pays rent plus property taxes, insurance, and maintenance costs. Subcontractors leasing yard space, shops, or staging areas often encounter this structure. Budget carefully — these added costs can significantly impact project overhead.

SRF (State Revolving Fund)

Cash Flow

A government-backed loan programme that funds municipal water, wastewater, and infrastructure projects. These funds often finance large construction contracts, creating steady work for subcontractors and field service crews. Knowing a project is SRF-funded signals stable, government-secured payment on long-term builds.

Capacity Charges

Cash Flow

Fees paid to reserve a subcontractor's workforce or equipment availability, regardless of actual utilisation. Clients use these to secure priority access during peak demand periods. For subcontractors, they provide predictable revenue even during standby phases.

Adjusted Ebitda (earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortisation)

Cash Flow

A profitability measure that strips out non-cash costs and one-time charges, showing true operational earnings. For subcontractors, it reveals how much cash your field operations actually generate. Clients and lenders use it to assess your financial health before awarding contracts or extending credit.

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