TerraTech delivers premium surface solutions crafted to elevate every space - indoors or out. Powered by Venux, collections are rooted in natural beauty and engineered for lasting performance.
Remodeling - Bathrooms
11-50
Decreasing time to payment by half (50%), reducing estimating time by 90%
Eric Maki built Terra Tech Surfaces around premium bathroom remodels, using sintered stone wall panels and solid-surface pans that make finished spaces look modern and high-end. The construction looked high-end construction.
The construction looked tight, clean, and deliberate, and the customer experience on site matched that construction standard.
But behind the scenes, the business side of payments felt clunky. Billing lived in PDFs and email threads, and every new job meant re-opening the same uncomfortable conversation about how payments would happen.
When Eric was on a ladder, coordinating materials, and managing subcontractors, the billing tasks were easy to delay, and that delay slowed construction payments.
Eric didn’t blame customers for paying slowly. He realized the process made it too easy for both sides to put payments off, especially when a project was moving fast and everyone was focused on finished construction in the field.
As he put it, “We’re getting payments faster, but it’s more because it’s easy for me to go in there and invoice it. I was the hold up before…” [25:09–25:16].
The insight was simple: if the billing process required extra steps, the contractor became the friction point.
For small businesses in the construction industry, cash timing can significantly impact the schedule and the stress level. Costs don’t wait for approvals, and costs incurred stack up quickly once construction projects start.
Even on private projects, the gap between bills and being paid can force a contractor to lean on contract financing, short-term financing, or credit cards. When payments arrive faster, the business can buy materials, pay subcontractors, and reduce expenses without resorting to more expensive options to get paid.
Bathroom remodels feel compact, but they still behave like phased construction projects. There is demolition, prep, waterproofing, installs, and finishing, and each phase comes with costs incurred and coordination.
Because the work moves in phases, Eric prefers progress payments over one big invoice at the end.
Progress payments let contractors earn in steps, and they keep customers confident that payments match work accomplished.
Before Bolster, Terra Tech used a familiar process. Eric would build an estimate, then rebuild an invoice, then email a PDF, then answer questions about payment methods, then wait.
The process repeated across projects, and the repetition was time consuming.
The problem wasn’t just slow payments. The problem was that payment processes were scattered across tools, which encouraged manual re-entry and created avoidable payment delays when numbers or dates didn’t match.
Every job starts with a contract, whether it’s a formal document or a signed approval inside a system.
Once parties agree, the contract sets the project scope, the total contract price, and the contract language for billing and payments.
In practice, Eric also played the contracting officer role for each homeowner contract. He had to interpret contract language, send bills, and translate the contractor's request into something a customer could act on without confusion.
Each invoice triggered the same loop. Customers asked if checks were preferred, whether card payments were acceptable, or if there were other forms of payment that would be simpler.
Those questions sound small, but they stall payments.
When contractors have to explain options repeatedly, the contractor's request becomes a conversation instead of a click, and that is where payment delays quietly grow.
Progress payments work when they are easy to issue and easy to complete.
In Terra Tech’s old flow, progress payments required extra math, extra emailing, and extra follow-ups, so contractors delayed invoicing until evenings or weekends.
When contractors delay invoicing, customers delay payments.
The rhythm breaks, costs incurred stay on the books longer, and contract financing becomes a weekly worry instead of a background detail.
Terra Tech moved estimating, billing, and payments into Bolster so invoices could be created from the approved scope without rebuilding documents.
Bolster became the only platform Eric needed for the estimate-to-invoice routine, and that simplification helps save time immediately.
The key wasn’t a new “feature.”
The key was a process where the contract, the billing process, and payments all stayed linked for companies, so contractors didn’t have to chase data across tools.
Bolster is a platform built to support phase billing, not just one-off invoices.
Eric could build a plan for progress payments, then issue billing steps directly from the same contract record as the estimate.
That matters because progress payments are easiest when they are mechanically tied to the contract, not loosely referenced in an email.
When progress payments follow the contract, payment processes feel predictable to customers.
Eric explained the setup: “We do percentage billing… on our retail we do a 50 and a 50 and then on our builder business, our dealer business, we do 13–13–13… we’ve been able to send out invoices very quickly, and also receive payment pretty quickly…” [22:37–23:01].
Those are performance based payments in plain language.
As finished construction adds up, contractor earns the next step, and progress payments align to real milestones.
For each type of project, Eric sets a progress payment rate that matches the way the work moves.
The progress payment rate is not improvised each time, which helps customers understand what they are approving.
Because the progress payment rate is consistent, each contractor's request feels fair.
It also reduces payment issues caused by last-minute math, and it reduces costs incurred from delayed billing.
Contract financing is often informal in residential remodeling.
Contractors front materials, labor, and costs while waiting for payments to clear, and the business absorbs financing pressure until cash arrives.
By tightening the billing process, Terra Tech reduced the amount of contract financing needed on active projects.
Faster payments reduced the time costs incurred stayed outstanding, and that improved profit without changing costs.
Eric stopped negotiating card fees one customer at a time.
He explained: “Payments is easy… payments is great. I toggle on if I want to charge a credit card to the customer or not… If they want to use a credit card, I let them decide to pay the credit card fee.” [22:12–22:23].
That toggle made the customary rate conversation easier.
Customers could choose convenience or avoid fees, and contractors didn’t have to defend the numbers in a phone call.
The biggest win was removing Eric from the “how do I pay?” conversation.
If the customer information is in the system, Bolster automatically sends the invoice and link, so Eric doesn’t have to download a PDF and follow up.
Eric described it directly: “I don’t need to download the PDF of the invoice… and then have them reach out, ‘Well, how do you want me to pay?’” [25:14–25:39].
When that link arrives, customers pick their option, and Eric is out of that conversation. [25:35–26:03]
Email is easy to miss, but phones are not.
Bolster can send an invoice and payment links by phone number, and that changed the visibility of the billing process overnight.
Eric said, “Bolster works off of cell phone… everybody has their phone on them… at 6 o’clock at night, somebody’s getting a payment link, you can bet they’re gonna see it.” [26:17–26:34].
Less hiding means fewer delays, and fewer delays mean faster payments.
With friction removed, Terra Tech saw payments land quickly after customers completed them.
Eric summarized the timing: “I wanna say it’s about 2 days… we’re getting payments faster… it’s easy for me to go in there and invoice it.” [24:57–25:16].
The cycle matters because it reduces the time costs incurred sit unpaid.
It also reduces reliance on financing and makes the business steadier across multiple projects.
Once payments are confirmed, Eric can schedule with confidence.
He gets notified on his phone, and that lets him move a project forward without guessing whether a check is “in the mail.”
This is simple project management powered by faster payments.
When progress payments hit on time, contractors can book crews, confirm material deliveries, and coordinate subcontractors and subcontractors without padding the schedule.
Terra Tech primarily works on residential projects, but lien waivers still show up, especially when general contractors are involved or when homeowners want a clean record.
Keeping the contract record, billing, and payments organized makes lien waivers easier to handle.
Clear accounting records also help ensure compliance.
When a customer asks what a charge is for, contractors can point to the contract, the project scope, and the finished construction that triggered that billing step.
The smoother the language, the smoother the process.
When contract language define progress payments clearly, customers understand that payments track the way work moves.
If incomplete work prevents a contract milestone from being reached, Terra Tech can suspend progress payments until that contract milestone is met.
That approach keeps payments tied to work accomplished and keeps the relationship fair.
Eric is not a government contracting officer, but he adopted a contracting officer mindset.
He keeps the contract record clear, makes each contractor's request simple, and ensures the billing process matches contract language.
That mindset is useful for small businesses even when there is no contracting officer on the other side.
In residential work, the customer becomes the owner, and clear payments reduce friction for everyone.
Terra Tech doesn’t specialize in public projects, but public rules influenced the way Eric thinks about documentation.
The prompt payment act is a reminder that fair timelines and clean accounting records matter.
Even without formal oversight, contractors benefit from building payment processes that would pass a contracting officer review, especially when questions come up later.
Many Terra Tech jobs function like fixed price contracts.
In fixed price contracts, a clear project scope protects both sides and reduces disputes about costs.
When fixed price contracts include progress payments, customers want to see that each invoice reflects finished construction.
A consistent progress payment rate helps keep that trust intact across projects.
Some construction firms also handle indefinite delivery contracts where tasks are issued over time.
In those environments, progress payments often correspond to partial deliveries and documented milestones.
Terra Tech’s approach still applies.
When the billing process is tied to the contract record, contractors can support contractor's request reviews with substantial evidence of work accomplished.
Bathroom remodels rely on specialty materials and tight coordination with subcontractors.
When payments are slow, contractors may delay ordering materials or paying subcontractors, which creates schedule risk.
Faster construction payments reduce that risk.
With progress payments arriving promptly, Terra Tech can order materials on time, pay subcontractors reliably, and avoid financing gaps that add costs.
Sintered stone panels and solid-surface pans are not “grab it later” items.
Inventory planning for these materials requires timing, storage planning, and clear payments so deposits and deliveries align.
When progress payments come in consistently, inventory planning becomes more predictable, and the business can focus on construction quality instead of cash timing.
Bolster reduced the need for manual data entry and helped Eric keep cleaner accounting records.
When the contract, invoices, and payments sit in one place, accounting becomes less about chasing documents and more about reviewing accounting data.
Better accounting also supports job costing.
When costs incurred are visible per project, the business can protect profit by noticing patterns early rather than after a project closes.
As the contract becomes consistent, the data becomes more useful.
Eric can compare projects by progress payment cadence, subcontractor timing, and where costs incurred spike.
That perspective supports informed decisions about scheduling, costs, and how much contract financing a job really needs.
It also helps identify payment issues before they become disputes.
In the construction industry, compliance is often practical, not theoretical.
Customers want clarity, subcontractors want proof, and general contractors may request lien waivers and accounting documentation before releasing payments.
A clean record helps ensure compliance without adding administrative weight.
Contractors can show what was billed, why it was billed, and what finished construction the billing corresponded to.
Contract performance isn’t just workmanship; it’s also predictability.
When payments are requested on time, and bills match contract milestones, customers feel contractors are organized.
That sense of control reduces payment issues and reduces friction around progress payments.
It also makes it easier for contractors to maintain a calm, repeatable process across many projects.
Some projects require advance payments for custom materials or long lead times.
When advance payments are tied to clear contract language, customers understand the reason, and contractors reduce risk.
When progress payments are fast, the need for large upfront deposits can shrink.
The business can keep cash moving with smaller steps that still cover costs incurred.
Terra Tech sometimes works alongside general contractors, especially in larger remodels.
General contractors often manage lien waivers, coordinate subcontractors, and enforce contract language for billing.
When progress payments are fast and the billing process is clear, general contractors can keep the whole project moving.
That supports the entire chain of construction payments and reduces delays across trades.
On residential jobs, the homeowner is often the decision-maker.
The owner’s confidence in the process is shaped by how clear the contract and billing are.
When the owner can pay quickly with a link and sees consistent progress payments, the project feels controlled.
That control reduces payment issues and helps contractors stay focused on construction.
Some contractors lean on financial institutions to cover gaps between invoices and being paid.
That can be helpful, but it also introduces financing costs and administrative overhead.
As Terra Tech tightened payment processes, it relied less on external financing.
Contract financing became smaller, and the business could reduce expenses that come from carrying balances.
Bolster’s pricing model supports growth without making collaboration complicated.
Unlimited users matters because estimating, project management, and billing can be shared across a team as the business expands.
That matters for contractors who want a consistent process across many projects.
When multiple people can see the same record, the contractor’s request doesn’t get stuck with one person.
What Terra Tech valued most was the seamless integration of estimating, billing, and payments.
It reduced rework, improved accounting consistency, and reduced the chance of payment issues.
Seamless integration also helps contractors avoid copying data into different systems.
Fewer steps means fewer mistakes, which supports compliance and helps save time.
Even in residential work, construction contracts are living documents.
They evolve with selections, schedules, and change conversations, and they affect payments every time the scope shifts.
By keeping the contract record central, Terra Tech reduced confusion.
The contract stayed connected to invoices and payments, and the process stayed repeatable across construction projects.
Small businesses and contractors don’t need a complicated workflow to speed up payments.
They need a clear contract, a consistent progress payment rate, and payment processes that remove awkward conversations.
They also need a habit of collecting lien waivers when required and maintaining accounting documentation that provides substantial evidence for each contractor's request.
Those practices help ensure compliance and protect profit.
There are moments when it is appropriate to suspend progress payments.
If incomplete work prevents a contract milestone from being met, pausing progress payments keeps the system fair and aligned to finished construction.
The key is communication anchored in the contract.
When parties agree on the contract milestone definition, the pause feels like procedure, not conflict.
Terra Tech didn’t become pushier.
It became clearer.
By tightening the billing process and making payments easy to complete, the business saw faster payments and fewer delays.
The real win was emotional as much as financial.
Eric stopped spending time on awkward scripts and started spending that time on construction quality, project management, and a calmer rhythm across projects.
On busy construction projects, costs show up before customers think about payments.
Costs arrive as materials are ordered, costs rise as subcontractors start, and costs keep moving while a contractor waits to be paid.
Terra Tech wanted payments to arrive fast enough that costs and expenses did not force constant financing decisions.
Bolster helped Eric keep the contract record current, so accounting stays clean and the business can see what was paid, what is owed, and what costs still sit inside the contract.
That clarity protects profit, reduces rework, helps save time, and helps contractors stay focused on construction instead of chasing payments.
Eric treats progress payments as the simplest kind of contract financing.
Each contract has progress payments that match how construction work moves, and each progress payment rate is set so contractors are not carrying unnecessary costs on active projects.
When progress payments are issued quickly, contractors reduce financing and avoid carrying costs incurred longer than needed.
In practice, progress payments turn “contract financing” into a routine.
The contract stays visible, the billing process stays simple, and customers pay from a link and get paid receipts, so contractors get paid quickly on more projects.
Over time, that repeatable process helps small businesses run more projects with fewer payment issues and fewer financing surprises.
Even on residential work, Eric borrows the habits of a contracting officer.
A contracting officer keeps the contract clear, keeps the construction record tidy, and makes sure the contract explains progress payments in a way customers understand.
That contracting officer discipline helps small businesses because it replaces awkward conversations with a consistent contract routine.
If a homeowner, a general contractor, or a lender asks questions, the contracting officer mindset also makes it easier to show substantial evidence of what was billed and why.
The result is fewer payment issues, faster payments, and save time rewriting the same explanations.
On shared projects with general contractors and subcontractors, construction payments often slow down when paperwork is scattered between companies.
Terra Tech keeps lien waivers organized alongside the contract record so payments can be released without delays.
That approach matters whether the job is a private remodel or one of the public projects that add extra compliance steps.
For construction companies and construction firms that want a repeatable method, the same approach works at large scale.
A single contract record supports project management, reduces manual data entry, and keeps accounting consistent across projects, so contractors can save time and get paid faster with fewer surprises.
When project costs change because specialty materials arrive early, the customer still wants a fair contract, a clear progress payment rate, and a straightforward way to make payments.
Eric also avoids debates about a customary rate by making the card-fee option transparent and letting the customer choose.
In the construction business, the fastest path to better cash flow is usually a cleaner process.
When contractors and companies reduce manual steps, payments accelerate, and contract financing pressure drops.
Terra Tech’s story shows that the best payment upgrade isn’t a hard sell.
It’s a system where invoices, progress payments, lien waivers, and accounting documentation work together, so getting paid feels as high-end as the construction itself.
Hear from other contractors who have experienced success using Bolster.
"If you're willing to invest in your business and work with Bolster, you're going to exceed your expectations of what you can achieve. If you put in the work, you'll see a return on investment quickly."
