Guides for running construction labour without the middlemen
What agency labour really costs, how CIS, PAYE and umbrella actually work, and how to run a team with records that stand up. Written for UK contractors, with every number traced to a named source.
The Specialist Contractor's Labour Manual
Accurate labour costing and project control, end to end. The manual behind our savings calculator: estimating formulas, margin anatomy and the controls that keep a labour budget honest.
What agency margin really costs
The invoice says £360 a day, the worker gets £300. Where the other £60 goes, what it adds up to over a year, and when paying it is the right call.
Read the guideCIS, PAYE and umbrella explained
The three ways construction workers get engaged in the UK, what each one costs the company, what each one means for the worker, and when each fits.
Read the guideThe UK construction labour shortage, 2026 to 2030
CITB says the industry needs 41,200 extra workers a year. What that means for your hiring costs, and why keeping a known team now beats re-recruiting.
Read the guideDigital timesheets and site evidence that stands up
Why paper timesheets cause Friday disputes, what geofenced clock-ins change, and what a defensible labour record looks like when someone challenges it.
Read the guide