Construction glossary
Force account
Also called owner-directed work, force account extra, T&M extra.
Force account is owner-directed work paid on T&M because the extra is not defined well enough to lump. The LEM is the backup. If the ticket is thin, the payment is thin.
What the owner is buying
Hours and iron at agreed rates, with enough description to prove the work was directed. Photos, a named extra, and a signed daily go further than a one-line note in the daily.
When to convert
Once the extra has a shape, many contracts want a change-order price. Keep issuing clean T&M tickets until that CO is signed, or you will have a gap.
Force account FAQ
Is force account only public work?
The phrase is common on public and heavy-civil jobs. Private extras are the same idea with different letterhead.
Do I need a separate rate sheet for force account?
You need agreed rates. Many jobs attach a T&M schedule to the contract for exactly this.
The index is a benchmark. Rate sheets are how you bill.
Rates shows public charge-out ranges. SubTrack rate sheets lock your crew numbers into a template the field actually bills from, on every LEM.
One template, every job
Labor, equipment, materials, and subs live in one sheet. Assign it to a project and tickets read the same numbers.
OT and markup apply themselves
Standby, overtime, and markup rules ride with the sheet. The field does not retype them.
The client sees what they signed
Line items match the agreed rates. Fewer disputes, faster approvals.
Project rate sheet
Labor · assigned to the job
| Position | Reg. rate | OT rate |
|---|---|---|
| Foreman | $72/hr | $108/hr |
| Operator | $68/hr | $102/hr |
| Laborer | $35/hr | $52.50/hr |