Guest blog by Greg Wilkes, Founder of Develop Coaching, author of Building Your Future, and host of the Develop Your Construction Business podcast.
What would you do if you could free up 10 working hours a week?
Running a construction business often feels like being pulled in ten directions at once. One minute you’re pricing up a new job, the next you’re chasing payments, sorting staff issues, or dealing with a site snag. By the end of the week, you’ve worked long hours but feel like you’ve barely moved forward.
It doesn’t have to stay that way. With the right system, you can cut through the chaos and reclaim your time. In fact, with focus and discipline, it’s realistic to free up 10 hours a week in just 90 days. That’s an extra 40 hours a month; time you can spend winning bigger jobs, building your team, or finally switching off at home.
This article breaks down a simple 90-day plan that’s been proven in construction businesses across the UK and Australia.
Step 1 (weeks 1–4): Get clear on where your time goes
Before you can fix a problem, you need to measure it.
- Track your time. For two weeks, jot down what you’re actually doing each hour of the working day. Include travel, quoting, emails, site calls, and everything in between.
- Spot the patterns. Builders are often surprised at how much time gets swallowed up in admin, chasing suppliers, or answering the same staff questions over and over.
- Put a price on your time. If your charge-out rate is £60-an-hour but you’re spending half the day on £15-an-hour tasks, it’s no wonder you’re stuck.
This first step might feel tedious, but it shines a light on where your time is leaking and that’s where your 10 hours a week are hiding.
Step 2 (weeks 5–6): Systemise the repetitive
Once you’ve mapped out the time drains, the next job is to systemise them.
- Standardise your processes. If you’re writing the same emails again and again, create templates. If site inductions vary by foreman, write a standard checklist.
- Use simple tech. You don’t need expensive software. Even shared Google Sheets or WhatsApp site groups can reduce back-and-forth if set up properly.
- Delegate effectively. Many owners struggle here they think no one will do it as well as them. But if you’ve created a simple, clear process, handing it over becomes much easier.
By the end of this stage, you should have at least three tasks off your desk that no longer need your daily involvement.
Step 3 (weeks 7–8): Control your workflow
Chaos often comes from firefighting. Jobs aren’t scheduled properly, materials arrive late, or staff aren’t clear on priorities. A structured workflow changes that.
- Plan the next 90 days. List all jobs, current and upcoming, with start and finish dates.
- Create a weekly dashboard. This could be as simple as a whiteboard or a Trello board. Every job is listed, with colour-coded status.
- Hold short weekly meetings. Ten minutes on a Monday with your key people to set the week’s priorities. This avoids the endless phone calls and site visits later in the week.
Suddenly, you’re running the business instead of the business running you.
Step 4 (weeks 9–10): Fix your cash flow leaks
A big source of stress for builders is money. You can’t take control of your time if you’re constantly chasing payments or juggling suppliers.
- Tighten your terms. Make sure your contracts are watertight, with clear stage payments.
- Invoice fast. Too many builders wait until the end of the month. Invoice as soon as a stage is complete.
- Automate reminders. Even a simple accounting app can send follow-up reminders without you lifting a finger.
Improved cash flow means fewer panicked evenings working through quotes just to keep the money moving.
Step 5 (weeks 11–12): Reclaim your time
Now you’re ready to lock in those 10 extra hours.
- Set boundaries. Decide your finish time and stick to it. With systems and workflows in place, you no longer need to answer calls at 9pm.
- Batch your work. Group similar tasks together - quotes in the morning, site calls in the afternoon - so your brain isn’t constantly switching gears.
- Protect your high-value time. Ringfence at least 5–10 hours a week for strategic work: marketing, client relationships, or developing your team.
This is where the payoff comes. You’ve cleared the decks of low-value tasks and built habits that keep you in control.
The payoff
Imagine what 10 hours a week could mean for you. That’s:
- Time to focus on winning larger, more profitable projects.
- Space to train a foreman so you’re not the one solving every site issue.
- Freedom to spend evenings with family without the phone buzzing.
And it all starts with a structured 90-day system.
Final thoughts
Builders are brilliant at getting jobs done for clients but often neglect their own business systems. By taking just three months to measure, systemise, control, and delegate, you can move from chaos to control and give yourself back a full working day each week.
Not by working harder, but by working smarter.
Authors
Greg Wilkes
Greg works with ambitious construction business owners across the UK and Australia, helping them scale from small teams into structured, profitable companies. Greg coaches leaders to systemise their operations, win bigger clients, and build businesses that run without constant firefighting.
