Don’t Let Your $800,000 Trucks Run on Empty Promises
In the concrete pumping business, your barrier to entry is massive. You are financing $750,000 to $1.2 million for a single large boom pump, paying skilled operators $40+ an hour, and burning diesel at 5 miles per gallon—all before the first yard of concrete hits the hopper.
Yet, according to recent construction finance reports, the concrete industry suffers from one of the longest “Days Sales Outstanding” (DSO) averages in the market: 83 days.
That means you are effectively acting as a bank for your customers for nearly three months.
In 2025, with equipment costs rising and average net profit margins in construction hovering around a thin 5%, you cannot afford to finance your customers’ projects. NexaCollect specializes in construction debt recovery. We help you enforce your contract, navigate lien laws, and get paid for every yard you pump.
The Math of Bad Debt: Why You Can’t “Write It Off”
Many pumpers think, “It’s just a $5,000 invoice, I’ll write it off.” Do the math on what that actually costs you.
If your business operates on a standard 5% net profit margin, writing off a $5,000 debt doesn’t just lose you $5,000. It wipes out the profit from your next $100,000 in revenue.
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The Reality: You have to pour 100,000 dollars worth of concrete just to get back to zero.
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The Fix: Recovering that money—even paying a fee to do so—is infinitely cheaper than trying to out-work the loss.
The “Pumper’s Paradox”: High Capital, Slow Pay
You provide a critical service that literally supports the project, yet you face unique payment hurdles that other trades don’t understand:
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The “Paid-if-Paid” Trap: General Contractors (GCs) love to tell you, “I can’t pay you until the owner pays me.” In many states, this is a bluff used to delay your $15,000 commercial pour payment. We know how to pierce through these contract clauses to demand payment for the work you’ve already completed.
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The “Back Charge” Game: Did the ready-mix truck arrive late? Did the finishers let the concrete set too long? Too often, the Pumping Company gets hit with a $2,000 back-charge for delays or “blowout” cleanups that were not your fault. We fight these invalid deductions.
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Standby Time Disputes: You bill for standby time, but the site super refuses to sign the ticket. When the invoice arrives, they dispute the hours. We use data and documentation to enforce your signed field tickets.
Why Concrete Pumpers Switch to Nexa
Traditional agencies don’t understand construction. They treat a commercial pour like a credit card bill. That approach fails because it ignores the Mechanic’s Lien leverage.
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We Understand “Pre-Lien” Power: Time is your enemy. Lien rights expire quickly (often 60-90 days depending on the state). We act fast to preserve your security rights before they vanish.
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Flat-Fee Leverage: You shouldn’t pay 40% commission to collect a bill that is just “slow.” Our Step 2 Flat-Fee service ($15/account) sends a formal, third-party demand that looks and feels like a pre-legal notice. This often gets the check released immediately. You keep 100% of the money.
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Reputation Protection: We know you have to work with these GCs again. Our approach is professional and firm, ensuring you get paid without being blacklisted from future bids.
Real World Results: Pumping Profits Back into Your Business
The “Standby Time” Dispute (Commercial Project)
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The Issue: A pumping company in Texas was owed $18,000. The GC paid the base rate but refused to pay $4,500 in “excessive” standby time, despite the ready-mix trucks being 2 hours late.
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The Fix: We reviewed the signed daily tickets which clearly authorized the wait time. We sent a Step 2 Demand attaching the proof.
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The Result: The GC released the full payment to avoid a lien on the property. The pumper recovered 100% of the funds for a nominal flat fee.
The “Ghosting” Homeowner (Residential Pour)
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The Issue: A homeowner hired a line pump for a backyard pool/patio project ($2,200) and then stopped answering calls after the pour.
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The Fix: We ran a Litigious Check to confirm the homeowner wasn’t bankrupt. We moved to Step 3 immediately due to the lack of a contract.
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The Result: Facing a potential hit to their credit score and a lien on their home, the homeowner paid via credit card within 14 days.
FAQ: Concrete & Construction Collections
Q: Can you help if I didn’t send a “Preliminary Notice”?
A: Yes. While a Preliminary Notice (Pre-Lien) is the gold standard for securing lien rights, you still have a valid contract claim. We can pursue the debt as a standard breach of contract collection, even if lien rights have expired.
Q: Do you understand the difference between a Line Pump and a Boom Pump bill?
A: Yes. We know the industry. Whether it’s a dispute over “pipe charges,” “washout fees,” or minimum load charges, we understand your invoice structure and can defend it against low-balling GCs.
Q: Can I charge the customer for the concrete I had to dump?
A: If your contract terms cover “waste” or “failed pours” due to site conditions, absolutely. We help you enforce those specific contract clauses.
Keep Your Cash Flow as Solid as Your Concrete
You did the heavy lifting. You deserve to be paid. Stop letting GCs use your business as a bank.