For Irish Construction Companies

Construction cash flow is feast or famine. It doesn’t have to be.

JP Donelon ACA — chartered accountant with a construction cash flow specialty. One diagnostic session. Changes in days, not months.

CA Chartered Accountant · QFA Qualified · Construction sector specialist · Free · No obligation
Sound Familiar?

You know the cash is tight. You just can't point to exactly why.

Retention money locked up

5-10% of every project held back for 6-12 months after completion. You've done the work, paid your subcontractors, but the cash is stuck with the client — and you're covering the gap from your own working capital.

Subcontractors need paying before clients pay you

You're paying your plumber, electrician, and groundworkers on schedule. But your main contractor is 45 days late on the last payment. Now you're funding their cash flow from yours.

Winter slowdowns hitting while overheads don't stop

December through February, projects dry up. But your van is still on finance, your yard rental is still due, and your crew still needs to eat. The lean months don't fund themselves — but you never seem to build the buffer you need.

Not a general accountant. Not a tax adviser. Just the person who understands how construction cash actually works.

Most accountants treat construction cash flow like any other business. But it’s not like other businesses. Retention clauses, progress payments, subcontractor chains, partial completions — these are structural cash flow realities that general accounting software doesn’t model.

JP does one thing. Maps your cash flow. Names the #1 obstacle. Delivers changes that move the needle within days — not a 40-page report you'll never read.

That's it. No retainer. No monthly invoices for work you can't see. A focused diagnostic that gives you clarity and action.

Typical Advisory Firm
Donelon Advisory
Speaks to boards and accountants
Speaks to the founder
8-10 bundled services
One focus: cash flow
Weeks to onboard
Changes in days
Open-ended monthly retainer
Defined diagnostic outcome
"Quarterly check-in on your accounts"
"When does the cash actually arrive?"
The Free Diagnostic

45 minutes that change how you see your business.

No prep needed. No documents to send in advance. We walk through your project cash flows together — retention schedules, payment terms, subcontractor timing. A focused conversation that surfaces what the numbers are hiding.

STEP 01

Map your cash flow

We map your project cash flows — retention held back, progress payments due, subcontractor payment schedules. A clear picture of when cash actually arrives vs. when it needs to go out.

During the session
STEP 02

Name the #1 obstacle

Most businesses have one bottleneck silently bleeding cash. Could be pricing, receivables timing, overheads, or something you haven't considered. We find it.

During the session
STEP 03

Get concrete actions

Walk away with 1-2 specific changes you can make this week. Real moves that impact cash flow within days — not "we'll circle back in Q3."

Changes in days

Irish construction companies doing €500k–€5M that feel the squeeze.

You're past startup stage. Revenue is real. But cash flow management has outgrown your accountant's quarterly check-ins — and a full-time CFO at €150k+ doesn't make sense yet.

  • Construction companies with €500k–€5M in annual project revenue
  • Profitable on paper but cash feels tight
  • Making growth decisions without clear financial visibility
  • Your accountant is great at compliance but doesn’t model construction cash flows
  • Based in Ireland with Irish business realities (VAT, PAYE, Revenue)

Is Your Construction Company’s Cash Flow Healthy? 2-Minute Check.

7 quick questions tailored for construction companies. Get an instant score and specific insights into where your cash flow stands right now.

Is your construction company’s cash flow healthy?

7 questions about your business cash flow. We'll give you an honest score and tell you exactly where to focus.

No sign-up required to see your score

The numbers background. The construction cash flow instinct.

JP Donelon ACA spent years inside Grant Thornton working with construction sector clients. He’s watched contractors run profitable projects but bleed cash because the accounting model doesn’t reflect how construction payments actually work. Now he helps construction company owners see what their numbers are actually trying to tell them.

Grant Thornton

Trained in one of Ireland's top professional services firms. Saw inside hundreds of businesses.

Chartered Accountant

Full member of Chartered Accountants Ireland. The recognised professional standard for accountants in Ireland.

ACA — Chartered Accountant

Full member of Chartered Accountants Ireland. The recognised professional standard for accountants in Ireland.

“82% of businesses that fail cite poor cash flow management. It's not a numbers problem. It's a visibility problem.”

JP Donelon, CA, QFA — Donelon Advisory

Book Your Free Cash Flow Diagnostic

45 minutes. No cost. No obligation. Walk away with a cash flow map and the one thing you need to fix first.

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You're booked.

JP will be in touch within 24 hours to schedule your 45-minute diagnostic. No prep needed — just show up ready to talk about your business.

Free Download

Weekly Cash Flow Checklist for Construction

10 practical checks every Monday morning. Retention, progress claims, subcontractor payments, bank balance — all in one place. Enter your details and we'll send it straight to your inbox.

✓ On its way! Check your inbox for the checklist link.
✓ Check Your Cash Flow — 2 Minutes or Book a Free 45-Min Diagnostic → Free · No obligation · JP Donelon CA, QFA