Rough-in and trim draws

Definition

The two billing stages of new-construction plumbing: pipe inside the walls, then fixtures at the end.

Why It Matters

New-construction work bills at rough-in and again at trim, and the gap between them runs months while the builder finishes everything else. That gap is working capital the buyer funds, and it does not show up in an income statement that already counts the job as profitable. Ask for receivable aging by builder and for the share of revenue sitting between the two draws at any one time. A service-heavy shop collects in days, and a rough-in-heavy shop is lending money to a general contractor.