Fieldhill Loans helps contractors and builders in Columbus, IN and Bartholomew County, IN request working capital for crews and materials before draws arrive, lines of credit for overlapping jobs, and equipment financing for trucks, trailers and used construction equipment. Partners review contracts, receivables and deposits, then decide on any offer.
| Construction firms with employees, Bartholomew County, IN | 173 employer locations (County Business Patterns 2023) |
|---|---|
| Construction businesses without payroll | 522, Nonemployer Statistics 2024 |
| New homes authorized in 2025 | 187, Building Permits Survey |
How contractors in Bartholomew County, IN use funding
Construction cash runs behind the work. Materials are bought at the start, crews are paid weekly, and the money comes in through draws, progress billing or a final invoice, sometimes with retainage held back until completion. A contractor can be profitable on every job and still short of cash in the middle of each one.
Options include a line of credit or working capital for the timing gap, and equipment financing for trucks, trailers and machines.
Who builds in Bartholomew County, IN: the Census picture
County Business Patterns counted 173 construction employer establishments in Bartholomew County, IN in 2023, with 2,152 paid employees and 56.1% of establishments under five people. Nonemployer Statistics counted 522 construction businesses with no payroll in 2024, a separate program and year that is not added to the employer count.
Residential building contractors (NAICS 2361) numbered 49 employer establishments with 173 employees, 77.6% of them with fewer than five people, and 168 residential builders operated without payroll in 2024. Nonresidential building contractors (NAICS 2362) were fewer, 14, but larger: 697 employees between them. Site preparation contractors (NAICS 238910) counted 15.
For context on new housing, the Building Permits Survey logged 156 new housing units authorized in the county in 2023, 195 in 2024 and 187 in 2025.
Materials, crews and payment delays
Materials
Lumber, concrete, roofing and fixtures are bought before the first draw. Supplier accounts help, but they still need paying within their terms.
Crews
Weekly payroll for crews and subcontractors arrives regardless of whether the owner's inspection has signed off the draw.
Retainage and draw delays
A percentage held until completion, or a draw delayed by an inspection, can tie up money a contractor counted on for the next job.
Matching contractor needs to funding types
| Need | Where Fieldhill would start |
|---|---|
| Crew pay and lumber ahead of the next draw | Working capital |
| Overlapping jobs and recurring gaps | Contractor line of credit |
| Truck, trailer, skid steer or excavator | Equipment financing |
| Materials for a large confirmed job | Inventory financing |
| Yard, shop or second crew expansion | Term loan |
Construction company working capital and the contractor line of credit
Construction company working capital fits a single, known gap: one draw, one payroll. A contractor line of credit fits a pattern where several jobs overlap and the gaps keep recurring. Partners reviewing a line want to see the contract backlog, receivables aging and twelve months of deposits.
How to finance construction equipment, new or used
Partners do finance used construction equipment; compact equipment and trailers have a resale market. Partners ask for hours, condition, the seller and lien status. New equipment from a dealer may come with manufacturer financing offers; compare the total cost with an outside offer before signing.
The equipment payment calculator estimates a monthly payment and total cost from a price, down payment, rate and term you enter. It works for any machine, not only CNC equipment, though it does not compute anything else.
Before you bid a larger job
A job twice the size of your usual work can double the cash you need before the first draw. Before bidding, work out three numbers: materials due before the first draw, payroll for the weeks until that draw clears, and any bond or deposit the owner requires. If the total is more than your account can carry, talk to a funding partner before you sign the contract rather than after.
A signed contract with a clear draw schedule gives partners more to read than a verbal promise of work, and they read the payment terms in it closely: who pays, when, and what can delay a draw.
Specialty trades
Plumbing and HVAC contractors carry parts stock and service vans on top of the usual crew gap, and some work service calls rather than draws. Bartholomew County, IN had 28 plumbing, heating and AC contractor employer establishments in 2023. Their page covers the trade's own cycle: plumbing and HVAC contractor funding.
What partners commonly review for a contractor
- Current contracts and the draw or billing schedule.
- Receivables aging and any retainage held.
- Twelve months of bank statements.
- Equipment quotes and existing equipment payments.
- Business tax returns for larger requests.
A labeled example, not an offer
Hypothetical figures only: a residential builder has three houses under way. Draws on two are due in three and five weeks; payroll and materials over that period total $47,000. A line of credit with a limit near that figure, drawn as bills come due and repaid as each draw lands, costs interest only on what is drawn and only for those weeks. Only a partner can name the real limit and terms.
Related pages
Landscaping companies share some equipment patterns; see landscaping funding. Every sector is on the industries page, and county figures are on the Columbus, IN page.
By Fieldhill Loans · Updated
