Questions contractors ask us
Straight answers about how a done-for-you back office works for a small construction company: what we handle, what it costs, what you approve and what we never do.
What is a back office service for contractors?
A back office service handles the office work of a construction company so the owner can stay in the field. At Outrigger that means billing and collections, change orders, pay apps and lien waivers, sub paperwork, your own compliance documents, field forms, payroll entry and HR paperwork. We do the work for you, and you approve anything that goes out under your name.
Who is Outrigger for?
Outrigger is for small construction companies, usually 1 to 25 field workers, where the owner is great in the field but short on office help. Often the office is the owner at night or a spouse who never trained for it. We work with sitework, grading, utility, concrete, paving, landscaping, trucking and specialty trade companies.
Do you work with contractors outside Georgia?
Yes. We are based in Georgia and work with contractors anywhere in the U.S. Everything is done by phone, text, email and shared folders, so there are no office visits. Some paperwork rules, like lien waiver forms and new-hire reporting, differ by state, so we set up your office around your state and you confirm the rules with your own advisors.
How much does Outrigger cost?
Plans start at $699 a month. Essentials is $699, Standard is $999 and Full Office is $1,299, month to month with 30 days' notice to cancel. Office Startup and Payroll Cleanup are one-time services at $497 each. The office checkup call is free. See the Plans page for what each plan includes.
Do I have to buy new software?
No. We work in the tools you already have, like QuickBooks and Gmail, plus free Google Sheets and Drive for your tracker and job folders. If you want us to run payroll, you need QuickBooks Online with QuickBooks Payroll, and you pay for that subscription directly.
Will my customers know I use Outrigger?
Only if you tell them. Invoices, change orders and payment reminders go out from your own billing email address and are signed with your company name. To your customers and GCs, it looks like your office got a lot more organized.
Who approves what goes out?
You do. Invoices, change orders and payroll wait for your OK before they go out. Payment reminders follow a schedule you approve during setup. Anything unusual gets flagged to you, never guessed.
How do I send you things from the field?
Text or email. For a change order, send five things: the GC, the project, the extra work, the price and when it gets paid. We write it up the same day if it comes in by 2 pm. New jobs, new hires and questions come in the same way.
How fast do invoices go out?
Invoices go out within 1 business day after you ask for them. Every weekday morning our built-in automation checks your invoices, change orders, sub paperwork and renewal dates, and every Monday you get an email with what got paid, what is late, what is coming due and what we need from you.
Do you give tax, legal or insurance advice?
No. We handle the paperwork, not the advice. Questions about taxes, contracts, insurance coverage, licensing or who should be on payroll go to your CPA, attorney, insurance agent or state board. We can help you write down the questions to bring them, and we can point you to trusted partners.
Do you write contracts?
No. We do not write or review contracts, and we do not set your prices. We read your signed contract to set up the job, billing terms and change order process, and we explain everyday paperwork in plain English so you understand what you are signing. Contract questions go to your attorney.
Do you do bookkeeping or taxes?
No. Outrigger is not a bookkeeping or tax firm. We handle billing, paperwork and payroll entry inside your own QuickBooks, which makes your bookkeeper's and CPA's job easier, but reconciling books, tax returns and tax filings stay with them.
Is there a long-term contract?
No. Plans are month to month with 30 days' notice to cancel. Your tracker, folders and files are set up in your own accounts, so they stay with you if you ever leave.
What if I go over my plan's limits?
Extra invoices are $15 each and extra change orders are $25 each. If you go over every month, we will suggest the plan that fits better. Limits are there to keep pricing fair for small crews, not to nickel and dime you.
Do you need my bank login?
No. We never ask for bank logins, never hold or move your money and never put tax ID numbers in email. Payments go straight from your customers to you. We track what got paid from your QuickBooks reports or what you tell us.
What happens on the free office checkup?
It is a 20-minute call. We ask how you bill, how you handle extra work, how you pay subs and crews and where your paperwork lives today. Then we tell you what we would fix first and which plan, if any, makes sense. There is no obligation.