Job Cost Accounting | Project Management | Scheduling
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Building Success Story

Our "Building Success Stories" profile how FOUNDATION for Windows construction accounting software has helped contractors to improve their accounting, job costing and overall financial management.

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Customer

Roofing Contractor Accounting Software

Corporate Profile

Headquarters
Montgomeryville, PA

Type of Business
Commerical, Industrial Roofing & Reroofing

Number of Employees
150

Annual Revenue
21 Million

System Profile

Foundation Software
Modules In Operation

Job Costing
Payroll
General Ledger
Accounts Payable
Accounts Receivable
DataGenie Designers
Inventory
Consolidated General
Ledger

The Benefits

FOUNDATION for
Windows has become
the backbone of the
business.

Consolidation and
integration of jobs into
one easy-to-understand
flow of information.

Accurate, reliable
accounting system results
in greater accountability.

Foundation Support
provides "consistently
excellent" technical
assistance.

Belcher Roofing looks for better job cost reporting

Philadelphia's skyline as seen from a newly completed roofing project

The Belcher Roofing Corporation has much to celebrate these days. Founded in 1974 by Kevin and Thomas Belcher, the company recently celebrated its 30th anniversary - a year that promises to be a banner one for revenue and growth. The commercial and industrial roofing company is on track to increase revenue by 45% over earnings for 2003.

Belcher Roofing Corporation serves commercial and industrial clients in eastern Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland. The company recently completed several major jobs including a new roof installation for IKEA near Penn's Landing in Philadelphia and the reroofing of the Philadelphia Amtrak 30th Street Station main concourse. In addition, Belcher Roofing was awarded contracts for waterproofing and damp proofing the new, world-class Philadelphia Phillies Citizens Bank Park.

Aside from quality workmanship and integrity, Kevin Belcher has inspired another passion among his employees. As the owner of a private aircraft, Kevin Belcher and his associates are involved with "Angel Flight," a non-profit organization that transports patients and their families, free of charge, to hospitals that would not otherwise be accessible for their medical treatment due to the high cost of travel. To commemorate Belcher Roofing's 30th anniversary, the company held a charity benefit golf outing for Angel Flight, which has helped to provide many more patients with "flights of hope and healing."

Paul Koehler, Controller at Belcher Roofing since May of 2002, is grateful to be with a company that cares about the community and has what it takes for long-term success. Before Koehler joined the BRC team, the company evaluated key areas of operation and determined that their accounting system, in particular, was not providing the kind of integrated, up-to-date information that was needed to make informed business decisions in a timely fashion.

The Challenge

In the fall of 2001, Kevin and Tom Belcher decided that the company needed to find an accounting software package that could provide date-sensitive job cost information and greater detail on labor, materials, and subcontractors - something that wasn't possible with their previous accounting system. With the help of their accountant, Belcher Roofing narrowed the selection to several accounting systems. FOUNDATION for Windows was chosen for its powerful reporting capabilities and flexible, easy-to-use format that complemented and integrated the tools necessary to handle complex payroll situations.

It would be months, however, before the company realized the benefits of their new accounting software. Belcher's controller at the time FOUNDATION was purchased was reluctant to learn a new program and continued to use the old system despite its many documented shortcomings. Six months later, Koehler was brought in to oversee the company's financials and implement FOUNDATION job cost accounting.

Koehler, who had been through two prior software conversions in his career, was not expecting an easy transition. With nearly 150 employees consisting of two unions in four states, he knew meeting payroll would be a big challenge. What happened next was a pleasant surprise.

"I started at 8 a.m. on a Tuesday, picked up the phone with Foundation Software and told them I needed to get into payroll," Koehler explained. "I was given enough usable information on transferring payroll information to make the entire conversion happen in two days. We distributed the first FOUNDATION payroll checks that Thursday. It was an incredible feat."

The Solution

Belcher roofers at work on a commercial roofing project

"Since implementing the software," Koehler explained, "it has become the backbone for all we do. There is now a consolidation and integration of jobs into one easy-to-understand flow of information. Not only does this help with decision-making, but it also helps each person know what part they play and how it contributes to the whole." And thanks to superior reporting capabilities, Koehler said there is never any question about whether or not jobs are balancing.

Since the conversion to FOUNDATION, there is greater accountability at Belcher Roofing, Koehler said. "We now have so much continuity, if there is an error made or we see something that doesn't belong, it sticks out like a sore thumb," he explained.

In addition, Koehler said FOUNDATION has provided "consistently excellent" technical support. Aside from prompt call-backs, Foundation Software employees show attention to detail and provide "proactive" assistance, he said. "It gives me confidence to know that there is someone else actively looking out for our company, not just providing standby service."

Today, sky-high optimism abounds at Belcher Roofing. Koehler says FOUNDATION has given them the tools needed to be more efficient and, as a result, the receivables that are 60+ days old constitute substantially less than 5% of all monies due, payables are even more timely, union reports and payments are made on schedule, and the job cost reports are used extensively as a project management tool on a daily basis. They now have more time to spend on revenue building areas such as marketing, planning and client relationships.

His advice to companies shopping for new construction accounting software? "Take a look at what you need, and then find the company that does it well," Koehler said. "FOUNDATION happens to do a great job at detailed job costing and payroll. For companies that require these tools, it's a great fit."

Want to see how Foundation construction accounting software can work for you? See a demo now!

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Building Success Story Our "Building Success Stories" profile how FOUNDATION for Windows construction accounting software has helped contractors to improve their accounting, job costing and overall financial management.