Subcontractor compliance, explained plainly
Practical guides for the people who keep subcontractor paperwork straight at a general contractor: insurance certificates, lien waivers, W-9s, and what to have in hand before a payment goes out.
How to check a subcontractor's certificate of insurance
A box-by-box ACORD 25 checklist: limits, additional insured, waiver of subrogation, dates, and the red flags to catch before you pay.
9 min read →Free COI tracking spreadsheet for general contractors
An Excel and Google Sheets tracker that flags expired and expiring subcontractor policies automatically.
Download and guide →Collecting W-9s from subcontractors before 1099 season
The new $2,000 threshold for 2026 payments, which subs get a 1099-NEC, what to check on each W-9, and the February 1, 2027 deadline.
8 min read →Conditional vs. unconditional lien waivers: tracking them for every payment
The four kinds of waiver, when to collect each, what to record for every payment, and the gaps to catch before closeout.
8 min read →A sub's insurance expired mid-project. Now what?
Confirm the facts with the agent, hold payment, decide about site access, check for a gap in coverage, and keep it from happening again.
7 min read →Additional insured vs. certificate holder: what GCs need to know
Why your name on a sub's certificate isn't coverage, how to tell which you are on an ACORD 25, and what to ask for.
5 min read →Subcontractor onboarding checklist: documents to collect before work starts
What to have from a sub before you sign, before work starts, before the first payment and every month after, plus a request email to copy.
7 min read →Free lien waiver log for general contractors
An Excel and Google Sheets log that shows which payments are missing a waiver and flags gaps between through dates.
Download and guide →