THE BOOK

The Financial Blueprint Book for Trade Contractors

QUICK ANSWER

CONTROL is the financial blueprint book for trade contractors from startup to $50M in commercial construction work. It is an 8-step system covering job costing, equipment cost basis, overhead calculation, estimating alignment, software setup, project management standards, monthly financial cadence, and accountability. Written by Josh Luebker, a former commercial construction PM and master electrician who has managed 150+ projects totaling $2.1B+. The book releases October 1, 2026.

If you searched for a financial blueprint book for trade contractors, you are probably a subcontractor who is busy, winning work, and still cannot figure out where the money went. CONTROL was written for that specific problem. The book is a step-by-step system built from real subcontractor businesses instead of classroom theory.

BY JOSH LUEBKER · UPDATED JUL 2026

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22-30%

GROSS PROFIT TARGET

12%

NET PROFIT TARGET

$650K

CASH IN THE BANK

60 DAYS

TO IMPLEMENT

WHAT THE BOOK IS

A Blueprint, Not a Textbook

Most books written for contractors either talk down to you with accounting theory, or they are so generic they could apply to any small business. CONTROL is neither. It is a blueprint in the literal sense: eight steps, done in order, that install a financial operating system inside your business.

You do not need an accounting degree to use it. You do not need to switch software, because it works with whatever job costing tool, spreadsheet, or system you already have. Instead of telling a story about somebody else's success, the book gives you a set of instructions for building your own.

THE 8-STEP SYSTEM

What's Inside the Book

Each step fixes a specific operational or financial breakdown. Run them in order, or pull the one that matches your biggest pain right now. Either way, you will see results within 30 to 60 days of each step.

STEP 1

Job Cost Structure

Seven categories, three levels of granularity. See what every project truly costs.

STEP 2

Equipment Cost Basis

The true daily, weekly, and monthly cost of every piece of equipment you own.

STEP 3

Overhead Calculation

Your real overhead is probably 25 to 42 percent, not the 10 percent you have been bidding.

STEP 4

Estimating System

Your estimate maps line for line to your job cost codes, so bid versus final cost finally means something.

STEP 5

Software & Bookkeeping Alignment

Live job costs your PM can pull up in 30 seconds, not a report they wait a week for.

STEP 6

Project Management Standards

Billing dates, change orders, and notices of nonpayment become standards your team runs without you.

STEP 7

Monthly Cadence

Weekly bookkeeping, cost to complete, and a CEO report that tells you where you stand.

STEP 8

Standards & Accountability

Five hours a month running the business instead of firefighting it every day.

WHO IT'S FOR

Built For Subcontractors

CONTROL is written for trade-based subcontractors doing 70 percent or more commercial, progress-payment work, from startup to $50M in revenue. Concrete, civil, utilities, SWPPP, electrical, and similar self-performing trades. If you are winning work but never quite sure where the money went, if cash is tight every month even when the business looks busy, this is the book.

The book is not for residential contractors, service-only or time-and-materials-only businesses, or anyone under $250K in revenue who has not yet built a team.

PROOF, NOT THEORY

Real Subcontractors, Real Numbers

Every principle in CONTROL is anchored to a real, anonymized client story. Each one runs on the same mechanics laid out step by step in the book.

$161K → $1.1M

CONCRETE CONTRACTOR

Net profit on the same revenue and the same crews. Only the job costing changed.

4 MCAs GONE

CIVIL CONTRACTOR

Eliminated four merchant cash advances and dropped overhead from 32 percent to 15 percent.

$365K AR

ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR

Recovered $365K in stuck AR and paid off her line of credit in 30 days.

FREQUENTLY ASKED

Common Questions

What is a financial blueprint book for trade contractors?

It is a step-by-step system, not just financial education, built specifically for construction subcontractors. CONTROL is that blueprint: eight steps covering job costing, overhead, estimating, software alignment, project management standards, and monthly financial cadence, built for trade contractors from startup to $50M in commercial work.

Who wrote CONTROL and why should I trust it?

Josh Luebker, a former commercial construction project manager and master electrician who managed 150+ projects totaling $2.1B+, including data centers, military bases, hospitals, and high-rises. He founded Sulphur Prairie Management, The Construction CFO, to be the fractional CFO for commercial subcontractors. CONTROL is built on what works in the field, not consulting theory.

What results can I expect from following the book?

The target outcomes are 22 to 30 percent gross profit per project, 12 percent net profit after all expenses, 9 to 13 percent overhead, and $650,000 in the bank at all times. Most contractors following the system see measurable change within 30 to 60 days of implementing each step.

Do I need new software or an accounting background to use this book?

No. CONTROL is tool agnostic. It works with whatever job costing software, spreadsheet, or system you already have. You do not need an accounting degree. The book is written in plain, field-level language rather than CPA speak.

When does CONTROL release and how do I get it?

CONTROL releases October 1, 2026. You can join the waitlist now at runoncfos.com to get early access and the companion templates and diagnostics that go with each chapter.