Building materials & trades
Open a contractor account with the lien clock and the season both in view
Building supply credit is granted to businesses whose own cash flow depends on being paid by a general contractor who depends on an owner. When a project stalls, the pain travels down the chain to the supplier who delivered the material first and invoices last.
- Typical terms
- Net 30, statement billing
- Seasonality
- Exposure peaks in the build season
- Decision window
- At the counter, on the first delivery
Where the money actually goes missing
- Contractor cash flow is project-dependent; a single stalled job can stop payment on unrelated accounts.
- Lien rights are time-limited, so a slow write-off decision costs the remedy as well as the money.
- Seasonal businesses look healthy in July and thin in February.
- New numbered companies appear constantly — some are legitimate new operations, some are a fresh start after a prior failure.
The workflow, in the order it runs
Counter-friendly application
A link a contractor can complete from their phone in a truck. Registry lookup fills the legal name, business number and registered office.
Bank confirmation direct to the branch
For a young numbered company there is often no bureau file worth reading. The branch can still confirm the account is open, in good standing and without NSF items.
Trade references from other yards
Other suppliers in the trade know how this contractor pays. Requests go out automatically with reminders.
Limits with a review date, not set-and-forget
Approve a limit for the season and bring the account back for review before the next one.
What ends up in the file
- How long the business has actually operated, versus when it was incorporated
- Bank account age, standing and NSF history
- Payment behaviour from other building-supply vendors
- PPSA registrations and secured lenders
- Bankruptcy and insolvency records
- Directors and signing authority
CreditConfirm is not a bank, lender or credit bureau, and does not make your credit decision. It collects and verifies the information you decide on.