For Contractors
Contractor Break-Even & Cash Model
How many jobs a month clears the nut — and what the next six months of cash actually looks like
- Jobs a month to clear the nut
- Floor and target ticket
- Works in free Google Sheets
What it does
Inside the workbook.
How many jobs a month clears the nut, and what six months of cash actually looks like.
WHAT YOU GET
- A 5-tab workbook: START HERE · THE NUT · SIX-MONTH CASH · DASHBOARD · FAQ
- 2 charts that update themselves as you type
- Realistic example figures already filled in, so you can watch it work before you replace them
- A plain-English START HERE guide built into the file, plus a 11-question FAQ
WHY THIS ONE
- Works in FREE Google Sheets. Also opens in Excel. No add-ons.
- One-time purchase. No subscription, no account, no upsell.
- Nothing connects to your bank or your accounting software. You type the numbers in yourself.
- Input cells are unlocked and formulas are protected so a stray paste cannot break the math — and there is NO password, so you can unlock and change anything.
- Every formula was opened in a calculation engine, fully rebuilt, and checked against values worked out independently of the file. If one disagreed, it would not be on sale.
HOW IT WORKS
1. Download and open the file. Nothing to unzip.
2. Read the START HERE tab — about two minutes.
3. Type your numbers over the examples in the blue cells.
GOOGLE SHEETS
File > Import > Upload > choose the file > Replace spreadsheet. Every formula was written to work in Google Sheets as well as Excel — no XLOOKUP, no LAMBDA, nothing that breaks on import.
INSTANT DOWNLOAD
Available immediately after purchase under Purchases and Reviews. Nothing ships.
REFUNDS AND SUPPORT
Instant digital downloads cannot be returned automatically through Etsy. Message me — if something is broken or not what you expected, I will fix it or refund you.
AI DISCLOSURE
This workbook was built with AI assistance. Every formula in it was then opened in a calculation engine and tested against independently calculated values before it was listed. The math is checked, not assumed.
This is a digital file only. No physical item will be shipped.
The proof
Every figure, worked out twice.
Before this workbook was listed it was opened in a calculation engine, rebuilt, and every headline figure was compared to a value computed independently in code from the same seed inputs. This is an excerpt of that ledger.
- BuildGenerated from a written spec, opened in a calculation engine, fully rebuilt.
- RecomputeEach figure worked out again in code — never read back from the sheet.
- CompareCell by cell, to a stated tolerance. One disagreement and it does not go on sale.
| Sheet | Cell | Expected | Calculated | Figure | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| THE NUT | F5 | 1,330 | 1,330 | ✓ | Fixed overhead, sum of the nine li |
| THE NUT | F6 | 4,780 | 4,780 | ✓ | FULL NUT |
| THE NUT | F7 | 227.62 | 227.62 | ✓ | Daily nut |
| THE NUT | F10 | 360 | 360 | ✓ | Hard costs 150+180+30 |
| THE NUT | F11 | 90 | 90 | ✓ | House fee 10% of 900 |
| THE NUT | F12 | 540 | 540 | ✓ | ontribution per job |
| THE NUT | F13 | 60.0% | 60.0% | ✓ | ontribution rate 540/900 |
| THE NUT | F14 | 450 | 450 | ✓ | Net per job |
Questions
Before you buy.
Will it work in free Google Sheets?
Yes. File > Import > Upload > choose the file > Replace spreadsheet. Every formula was written to run in Google Sheets as well as Excel — no XLOOKUP, no LAMBDA, no dynamic arrays, no add-ons and no subscription.
Why can't I type in some cells?
Those are formulas, locked so a stray paste cannot break the math. There is no password. Review > Unprotect Sheet in Excel, or Data > Protected sheets and ranges in Google Sheets, opens the whole thing if you want to change something.
Where did the starting numbers come from?
A working small repair contractor's own paperwork: the itemised monthly tool stack, a startup list that came in under $2,700, an average repair ticket near $900 at roughly 60% contribution, and a compensation agreement that set a 35% target margin with a hard 30% floor and a 10% house fee. They are seeded so you open a working model instead of a wall of zeros. Type over every one of them.
What is the house fee and do I have to use it?
It is overhead taken off the top of a job before anyone gets paid — 10% here. If you are solo it is a bookkeeping habit rather than a real transfer, but keeping it in the margin math stops you from mistaking overhead-funded work for profitable work. Set it to 0 if you would rather not model it.
Why does the margin count the house fee as a cost?
Because overhead is a cost whether or not you invoice anyone for it. A job that looks like 40% margin before overhead and 30% after is a 30% job. Counting it up front is what makes the floor mean something.
Does it work in free Google Sheets?
Yes. Every workbook is built with an older, universal formula vocabulary so it imports into free Google Sheets without add-ons, and it opens in Excel as well. You get both in one purchase.
How was it tested?
The workbook was opened in a calculation engine, fully rebuilt, and 50 figures were compared to values worked out independently in code from the same seed inputs. One disagreement would have stopped the release. An excerpt of that ledger is on this page.
Get it
Contractor Break-Even & Cash Model — $24.99
Instant download on Etsy. Google Sheets and Excel versions in the same purchase. No subscription, ever.
Educational estimates only. These calculators and workbooks do the arithmetic on the figures you enter; they are general-purpose tools, not financial, investment, tax, legal, lending, insurance or construction advice, and no result is a quote, an offer, or a guarantee of any outcome. Results depend entirely on your inputs and assumptions. Verify anything you intend to rely on with a licensed professional — a CPA, attorney, lender, licensed contractor, or your own agent. WorkbookBarn and Marcos Gil accept no liability for decisions made using these tools. Marcos Gil is a licensed Kentucky real estate agent (License No. 296259) and is not a lender, CPA or attorney.