Siteline

Siteline Siteline® is the only real-time, collaborative billing software for commercial trade contractors.

"What do we do when GCs keep adding small change orders after substantial completion?"Short answer: they can issue them,...
06/01/2026

"What do we do when GCs keep adding small change orders after substantial completion?"

Short answer: they can issue them, but they shouldn't be using them to hold up your closeout or retainage. Once your scope is done and usable, new change orders are separate work—not a reason to delay releasing retainage on the original scope.

One of 20+ real retainage questions, answered in our new FAQ:

Get answers to common retainage questions, including laws, negotiation tips, release timing, lien waivers, and how to get paid faster.

A mechanic's lien is one of the most powerful payment-protection tools a sub has. But lien rights are easier to lose tha...
05/28/2026

A mechanic's lien is one of the most powerful payment-protection tools a sub has. But lien rights are easier to lose than most subs realize—often weeks before payment ever stalls. Our new guide is a practical playbook for keeping those rights alive across every project: the five-phase lifecycle, the state-level traps, the most common mistakes, and the project intake checklist that prevents them. Get it here 👇

For something every commercial sub has at their disposal, mechanic's liens are remarkably misunderstood and even more remarkably easy to lose.

Designed to print out, post above your desk, or hand to your newest billing hire—this free cheat sheet puts every lien w...
05/26/2026

Designed to print out, post above your desk, or hand to your newest billing hire—this free cheat sheet puts every lien waiver type and timing rule on a single page. Free to download, free to share.👇

Conditional, unconditional, progress, final—four small words that, when confused or misused, can hold up a lot of payments.

You're two weeks past your billing date, and the ayment still hasn't hit. You chase it down and find out that the GC is ...
05/22/2026

You're two weeks past your billing date, and the ayment still hasn't hit. You chase it down and find out that the GC is waiting on a lien waiver. So you send it—wrong type. You fix it—wrong form for the state.

This isn't bad luck. It's a knowledge gap that costs subs real money, and it's almost entirely preventable. This guide shows you how. 👇

For something most commercial projects now require, lien waivers create an outsized amount of friction. Subs spend countless hours chasing signatures. GCs spend just as much time ensuring compliance. And all the while, payments are stuck in limbo until everything lines up.

Substantial completion and final completion aren't the same thing—and confusing the two is one of the fastest ways to lo...
05/21/2026

Substantial completion and final completion aren't the same thing—and confusing the two is one of the fastest ways to lose retainage or your lien rights.

Substantial completion means the work is usable for its intended purpose, whereas final completion means punch list, close-out documents, warranties, and everything else that triggers retainage release. The gap between the two is where most retainage gets stuck.

We break it down, along with 20+ other real retainage questions from subcontractors, in our new FAQ.

Get answers to common retainage questions, including laws, negotiation tips, release timing, lien waivers, and how to get paid faster.

Conditional progress. Unconditional progress. Conditional final. Unconditional final.If those four phrases stress out yo...
05/12/2026

Conditional progress. Unconditional progress. Conditional final. Unconditional final.

If those four phrases stress out your billing team (or you, for that matter), our new free cheat sheet is for you. It outlines every lien waiver type and when they’re used during the billing cycle.

A useful resource to keep nearby during billing week, we think? Get your copy here👇

Conditional, unconditional, progress, final—four small words that, when confused or misused, can hold up a lot of payments.

If your team is still managing lien waivers through spreadsheets, email threads, and never-ending loop of follow-ups, th...
05/07/2026

If your team is still managing lien waivers through spreadsheets, email threads, and never-ending loop of follow-ups, there's a better way. Our new free guide for subs and GCs covers the full lien waiver process—from understanding the four types to navigating state-by-state requirements to building a scalable process that keeps compliance from holding up payment. Download your copy by clicking below.

For something most commercial projects now require, lien waivers create an outsized amount of friction. Subs spend countless hours chasing signatures. GCs spend just as much time ensuring compliance. And all the while, payments are stuck in limbo until everything lines up.

If your WIP doesn't quite tie at month-end, you're in good company. There's almost always something specific behind it—m...
05/06/2026

If your WIP doesn't quite tie at month-end, you're in good company. There's almost always something specific behind it—maybe a change order that didn't make it into the contract value, or a cost-to-complete hasn't moved in three months. The fixes aren't complicated, but they do take some discipline. We're covering the most common ones in our next free webinar. Save your spot 👇

Every month, commercial subcontractors sit down to pull WIP together. And every month, something doesn't quite tie—a change order that hasn't hit the contract value, a cost-to-complete that's been static for three months, an over-billed balance that keeps flipping the next cycle.

Retainage is one of the most negotiable line items in a construction contract—but most subcontractors never try. The bes...
05/05/2026

Retainage is one of the most negotiable line items in a construction contract—but most subcontractors never try. The best time to reduce your retainage percentage, set a phased release schedule, or swap in a retention bond is before you sign, when you still have leverage.

In our newest article, we walk through how to negotiate retainage terms, when to push for an early trade release, and how to handle it when a GC won't budge.

Get answers to common retainage questions, including laws, negotiation tips, release timing, lien waivers, and how to get paid faster.

The mechanic's lien is only as strong as the steps you took before filing it. In 12 states, one of those steps is a noti...
05/01/2026

The mechanic's lien is only as strong as the steps you took before filing it. In 12 states, one of those steps is a notice of intent to lien, and missing it makes the whole claim invalid. Here’s a good article on what that means and where it applies.

Find out which states require a notice of intent to lien. Plus, see deadlines, delivery requirements, and what's at stake if you miss the window.

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