Pay apps and lien waivers for small construction companies
Outrigger Back Office prepares pay applications and lien waiver paperwork for small construction companies working commercial jobs: we set up your schedule of values, prepare each monthly pay app for you to review and sign, track retainage, and prepare, collect and track lien waivers. You sign; we handle the paperwork.
How pay apps & lien waivers works with Outrigger
Commercial work pays differently. Instead of one invoice, you bill a percent complete on every line of a schedule of values, every month, on the GC's form or portal, by the GC's cutoff date. Miss the cutoff and you wait another month. Leave off a waiver and the whole pay app can sit. For a small crew with no office manager, that monthly cycle is one of the hardest parts of growing into bigger jobs.
We take on the paperwork side. We set up the schedule of values for each job, track what has been billed and what retainage is held, and prepare your pay app each month from what you tell us is complete. You review it, sign it, and it goes to the GC. We also prepare the lien waivers that go with it and collect the waivers your own subs and suppliers owe you.
Outrigger was built in the back office of a working civil sitework company in Georgia, where pay apps and waivers went out every month on real commercial jobs. We know what a lien waiver is and why one missing page can hold up a check. We prepare and track the paperwork. We do not file liens or lien notices, and we do not give lien advice.
Best for
- Subs moving from residential into commercial work
- Contractors billing on AIA-style G702/G703 forms
- Jobs with retainage held until the end
- GCs that require a waiver with every pay app
- Owners who have missed a pay app cutoff
- Companies paying subs and suppliers on commercial jobs
What's included
Schedule of values setup
We set up the schedule of values for each job from your contract and bid, so every line, change order and retainage amount is ready for billing.
Monthly pay applications
Tell us the percent complete on each line. We prepare the pay app on the GC's form, AIA-style G702/G703 or their own, for you to review and sign.
Pay app calendar
We track each GC's pay app cutoff date and remind you ahead of time, so your progress numbers are in before the deadline.
Retainage tracking
We track retainage held on every job and every pay app, so you know what is still owed and can request it when the job closes out.
Your waivers to the GC
We prepare the lien waivers that go with your pay apps, using the form the GC or your state requires, and send them to you to sign.
Waivers from your subs and suppliers
We request and collect lien waivers from your subs and suppliers when you pay them, and track which ones are still missing.
What you do
- Tell us the percent complete each month
- Review and sign each pay app
- Sign your lien waivers
- Upload pay apps to GC portals if only you have the login
Pay apps, retainage and lien waivers in plain English
A pay application, or pay app, is progress billing on a commercial job. Instead of billing a flat amount, you bill the percent complete of each line on a schedule of values, which is the list of work items and their dollar amounts from your contract. Many GCs use AIA-style G702/G703 forms; others use their own form or an online portal. Retainage is a percentage held back from each payment until the end of the job, so tracking it matters.
A lien waiver is a document saying a contractor or supplier gives up lien rights for a payment. A conditional waiver takes effect when the payment actually clears. An unconditional waiver takes effect when it is signed, so it matters which one you sign and when. GCs and owners often require waivers with each pay app.
Some states require specific statutory waiver forms, including Georgia, and the rules vary by state. Check with an attorney in your state about which forms to use and what your rights are. We prepare and track the paperwork you choose to sign; we do not give lien advice.
Our process
Job setup
We load the contract, schedule of values, retainage rate, pay app cutoff and the GC's form or waiver requirements into your tracker.
Monthly reminder
Before each cutoff we ask you for the percent complete on each line and any approved change orders to include.
We prepare the pay app
We fill in the pay app and the matching lien waiver and send both to you to review and sign.
It goes to the GC
Signed paperwork goes to the GC from your billing email, or you upload it to their portal. We log the date and amount.
We track payment and waivers
We follow up on payment, update retainage, and collect waivers from your subs and suppliers when you pay them.
Pay Apps & Lien Waivers FAQ
How much does it cost to have someone do my pay apps?
Pay apps are included in our Standard plan at $999 a month and Full Office plan at $1,299 a month. Our plans start at $699 a month, but the Essentials plan does not include pay apps. Plans are month to month with 30 days' notice to cancel. See the Plans page for invoice and change order limits on each plan.
What is the difference between a conditional and unconditional lien waiver?
A conditional lien waiver takes effect only when the payment actually clears. An unconditional lien waiver takes effect as soon as it is signed. Some states, including Georgia, require specific statutory forms, and rules vary by state. Check with an attorney in your state about which waiver to sign and when. We prepare the paperwork; you decide and sign.
Do you file liens or give lien advice?
No. We do not file liens or lien notices, and we do not give legal advice about lien rights or deadlines. We prepare pay apps and lien waivers for you to review and sign, collect waivers from your subs and suppliers, and track everything. If you have a payment dispute or lien question, talk with an attorney in your state.
How do you know when my pay app is due?
We record each GC's pay app cutoff date when we set up the job, and we remind you before it arrives. You send us the percent complete on each line, we prepare the pay app and waiver, and you sign. Getting your numbers to us a few days before the cutoff gives time to review it without a rush.
Can you work with GC portals and AIA forms?
Yes, we prepare pay apps on AIA-style G702/G703 forms or on the GC's own form. Many GCs use an online portal. If you share access, we can enter it for your review; if only you can log in, we prepare everything and you upload and submit it. Either way, you sign every pay app.
What tools do I need for pay apps?
You need QuickBooks and Gmail, which we use with accountant access and your billing email. Schedules of values and retainage are tracked in a free Google Sheet, and pay apps and waivers are stored in your job folders in free Google Drive. There is no new software to buy. GC portals are free to you through the GC.
Often paired with
Billing & Collections
We set up each job from your contract, send invoices within 1 business day of your request, track what is owed, and send polite reminders from your own billing email.
Learn moreChange Orders
Text or email us 5 details from the field. We write the change order the same day, you reply APPROVED, and it goes to the GC from your billing email.
Learn moreSub & Vendor Paperwork
We collect W-9s and certificates of insurance from your subs and vendors before they get paid, track COI expiration dates, request renewals and file everything by sub.
Learn more