Why High Revenue Is Killing Cash Flow in 6-Figure Roofing and HVAC Shops

"Mareaka, we're busier than ever but our bank account doesn’t show that - what's the disconnect?"

More jobs.

Bigger projects.

Higher revenue.

Sounds like growth, right?

But if you’re not managing your cash flow, it can feel like the busier you get, the broker you become.

Both roofers and HVAC owners fall into the same trap — you can’t deposit profit that hasn’t hit your account yet.

Before we jump in, let’s talk about something most contractors avoid — how to make sure you actually get paid from your own business.

What We're Talking About

The truth about when to use payroll vs. owner draws.
How to structure consistent pay that fits your cash flow.
Why fixing cash flow is the real key to paying yourself first.

Before we dive into it, let me introduce myself if we haven’t met yet.

I’m Mareaka from Bunch Accounting, and I specialize in helping roofing and HVAC business owners like you make confident, profitable decisions.

Growth feels exciting — trucks on the road, crews working nonstop, invoices stacked high.

But here’s the truth: growth eats cash.

Every new project means fronting materials, paying labor, and waiting weeks (or months) to get paid.

You might be generating more revenue than ever, but if your cash flow timing is off, your business can stall at the exact moment it’s supposed to take off.

Reality Check

Here’s what most contractors miss:

That $30,000 HVAC install? You paid for materials and labor weeks ago.
That $80,000 re-roof? You won’t see the final check until after inspection.
Meanwhile, payroll hits every Friday — whether clients have paid you or not.

On paper, you’re profitable. In your bank account, you’re sweating to make payroll.

So what to do?

To fix it, you have to treat cash flow timing like a job schedule:

Collect deposits early. 30–50% upfront keeps cash circulating.
Bill progress payments by milestone, not completion. Don’t wait until the job’s done to invoice.
Match payables to receivables. If suppliers want payment in 15 days, your invoices should be due in 15 too.

Cash flow isn’t just about having money — it’s about controlling when money moves.

A HVAC company I worked with doubled revenue in one year — but was still scrambling to cover payroll.

Their issue wasn’t profit; it was payment timing.

We restructured their invoicing to require 40% down, 40% mid-project, and 20% at completion.

Within 90 days, they stopped borrowing from credit lines and had consistent cash on hand.

Busy doesn’t mean healthy.
High revenue without controlled cash flow is just organized chaos.
When you start managing timing — deposits, payroll, and payables — you’ll finally have the breathing room to grow without stress.

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