Should I Be Taking On More Work or Focusing on Making More From What We Already Do?
Short answer (read this first):
If your current work isn’t delivering consistent, predictable profit and cashflow, taking on more work usually makes the problem bigger — not better. Most construction businesses should fix margins, pricing, and delivery first before chasing extra turnover.
This is one of the most common — and most expensive — questions we hear at Thomas Emlyn Ltd.
And it usually comes at a moment of pressure:
- Cash feels tight
- The team feels stretched
- Turnover looks decent, but profit doesn’t
So the instinct is understandable:
“We just need more work.”
In construction, that instinct is often wrong.
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Why ‘More Work’ Feels Like the Obvious Answer
Direct answer:
More work feels like the solution because turnover is visible, familiar, and rewarded — while margin problems are harder to spot.
Construction business owners are conditioned to think:
- More jobs = more money
- Busy teams = healthy business
- Full order book = success
But turnover hides a lot.
We regularly see construction companies turning over £2m–£5m that:
- Are permanently short of cash
- Rely on overdrafts
- Struggle to pay tax on time
The issue isn’t volume.
It’s value per job.
When Taking On More Work Actually Makes Things Worse
Direct answer:
If your margins are weak or inconsistent, extra work increases stress, cashflow risk, and management complexity without fixing the root problem.
More work means:
- More labour exposure
- More subcontractor risk
- More materials volatility
- More working capital tied up
Real-world example (anonymised):
A contractor we worked with increased turnover from £1.8m to £3.1m in 18 months.
Profit barely moved. Cashflow got worse.
Why?
- Jobs were underpriced
- Variations weren’t recovered properly
- Labour overruns were absorbed, not challenged
More work amplified existing leaks.
At Thomas Emlyn Ltd, we often say:
“If a bucket has holes, pouring in more water won’t fill it.”
When Focusing on Existing Work Is the Smarter Move
Direct answer:
If you can improve margins by even 2–3% on your current workload, the impact often outweighs winning new work.
Let’s look at the maths:
| Turnover | Margin | Profit |
|---|---|---|
| £2,000,000 | 8% | £160,000 |
| £2,000,000 | 11% | £220,000 |
That’s £60,000 extra profit without:
- More staff
- More risk
- More admin
And importantly — without worsening cashflow.
What Should You Fix Before Taking On More Construction Work?
1. Pricing Discipline
Direct answer:
If pricing isn’t protecting margin, more volume will erode profit faster.
Common issues we see:
- Pricing to win, not to profit
- Not adjusting for labour inflation
- Absorbing scope creep
A business that doesn’t fully price risk shouldn’t scale.
2. Job Costing & Margin Visibility
Direct answer:
You should know — mid-job — whether a project is winning or losing.
Too many firms only discover margin issues:
- At year-end
- Or when cash is already gone
Strong construction businesses track:
- Budget vs actual weekly or monthly
- Labour efficiency
- Variation recovery
This is a core focus of our Virtual Finance Director work at Thomas Emlyn Ltd.
3. Cashflow Timing (Not Just Profit)
Direct answer:
A profitable job can still kill cashflow if payment terms and costs don’t align.
Before scaling, understand:
- Average debtor days
- Upfront cost exposure
- Retention impact
Growing turnover without cashflow control increases funding dependency.
4. Operational Strain
Direct answer:
If you’re already firefighting, growth will stretch systems and people beyond breaking point.
Warning signs:
- You’re the bottleneck
- Decisions live in your head
- Reporting is always late
Growth should simplify life — not consume it.
When Taking On More Work Does Make Sense
Direct answer:
Growth is powerful when your foundations are solid.
Taking on more work makes sense when:
- Margins are stable and repeatable
- Cashflow is predictable
- Jobs are delivered consistently
- You understand which work is most profitable
In these cases, growth multiplies good systems instead of bad habits.
A Simple Decision Framework for Construction Owners
Ask yourself these five questions:
- Do we know our true job margins — live, not historic?
- Are we consistently hitting target profit percentages?
- Is cashflow improving or tightening as turnover rises?
- Could we increase profit by improving pricing or delivery?
- Would more work reduce or increase stress right now?
If the answers are unclear — pause growth.
At Thomas Emlyn Ltd, clarity always comes before scale.
How a Virtual Finance Director Helps Answer This Question Properly
This decision isn’t about instinct.
It’s about numbers, context, and strategy.
Our Virtual Finance Director service helps construction owners:
- Understand where profit is really made
- Identify which work to pursue (and which to avoid)
- Decide when growth helps — and when it hurts
Clients often tell us:
“We stopped chasing everything — and started earning more.”
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Is more turnover always better in construction?
No. Turnover without margin and cashflow control increases risk. Many construction firms grow into cashflow crises despite higher sales.
How do I know if my margins are good enough to scale?
Margins should be consistent, repeatable, and well understood by job type. If profit fluctuates wildly, scaling will magnify uncertainty.
What’s a healthy margin for a UK construction business?
It varies by trade and model, but many subcontractors target 10–15% gross margin as a baseline. Net profit is often far lower without discipline.
Should I say no to work if we’re busy?
Sometimes yes. The most profitable firms are selective. Not all work is good work.
When should I get strategic finance support?
If you’re unsure whether growth is helping or hurting, or if profit doesn’t match effort, it’s time. Strategy beats guesswork.
Thomas Emlyn Ltd works closely with UK construction owners, advisors, and professional networks to bring practical financial insight into real-world decision-making — not abstract theory.
Our focus is helping businesses earn more from what they already do, before chasing scale.
Thomas Emlyn Ltd
Stronger Margins – Healthier Cashflow – Sustainable Growth
