Construction Company Secures Bridge Financing for Major Project
The Client
Martinez Construction LLC is a Phoenix-based commercial construction company specializing in tenant improvements and light commercial builds. Founded by Roberto Martinez in 2012, the company has grown from a one-man operation to a team of 15 employees.
With a solid reputation for quality work and on-time delivery, Martinez Construction was poised for significant growth—but faced the classic construction cash flow challenge.
The Challenge
The Opportunity
In early 2024, Martinez Construction was awarded their largest project ever: a $2.1 million retail buildout for a national coffee chain.
The Cash Flow Problem
Like many construction companies, Martinez operated on 60-90 day payment terms. They had:
- ●$850,000 in outstanding receivables from two completed projects
- ●$250,000 needed upfront for materials and labor on the new project
- ●$180,000 due for completion bonding
- ●$35,000 monthly payroll obligations
The math didn't work. Waiting for the $850K to arrive meant missing the project start date—and likely losing the contract.
What Made It Worse
- ●Bank said "no" due to the large receivables creating debt-to-income concerns
- ●Credit card limits were already near max
- ●Traditional SBA timeline (60-90 days) was too slow
- ●Project start deadline: 3 weeks away
Finding the Solution
Roberto reached out to Banked.fyi after seeing our industry-specific content on construction financing.
The Assessment
After reviewing Martinez Construction's situation, we identified two complementary solutions:
1. Invoice Factoring ($680,000)
- ●Factor 80% of outstanding receivables
- ●Immediate cash against invoices
- ●Customer credit was strong (national retailers)
2. Working Capital Loan ($250,000)
- ●Bridge funding for project startup
- ●Fast approval based on strong revenue
- ●Flexible weekly payments
Why This Combination?
- ●Factoring provided most of the capital at lowest cost
- ●Working capital filled the gap quickly
- ●Total funding aligned with actual needs
- ●Repayment timing matched incoming project payments
The Process
Week 1:
- ●Initial consultation and document review
- ●Bank statements, receivables aging, project contract reviewed
- ●Options presented and compared
Week 2:
- ●Factoring facility approved: $680,000 advance on $850K receivables
- ●Working capital approved: $250,000 at 1.28 factor rate
- ●Total available: $930,000
Week 3:
- ●Funds deployed
- ●Materials ordered
- ●Crew mobilized
- ●Project started on time
The Results
Project Success
The $2.1M coffee chain buildout was completed:
- ●On time
- ●Under budget
- ●To specification
- ●Leading to three additional locations awarded
Financial Impact
| Metric | Before | After | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual revenue | $3.2M | $4.3M | +35% |
| Project capacity | 2-3 simultaneous | 4-5 simultaneous | +67% |
| Avg project size | $280K | $520K | +86% |
| Employee count | 12 | 18 | +50% |
Repayment
- ●Factoring: Paid off as customers paid invoices (avg 52 days)
- ●Working capital: Repaid from project progress payments
- ●Total cost of financing: ~$47,000
- ●ROI: Financing cost was 2.2% of project value, unlocking 35% growth
Key Takeaways
For Construction Companies
- ●Plan financing early - Don't wait until you're against a deadline
- ●Factor existing receivables first - Lower cost than new debt
- ●Match financing to need - Bridge funding for bridges, not permanent capital
- ●Strong customers = better terms - Creditworthy clients improve factoring rates
- ●Growth requires capital - Don't let cash flow limit opportunity
The Financing Strategy
- ●Use receivables as an asset - They have value before collection
- ●Layer funding types - Different needs = different solutions
- ●Consider total cost, not just rate - $47K to unlock $4.3M revenue
- ●Speed matters - The right funding at the wrong time doesn't help
What's Next
With the successful completion of the coffee chain project, Martinez Construction has:
- ●Established a factoring relationship for ongoing cash flow management
- ●Built reserves from increased profits
- ●Hired a project manager to handle growth
- ●Qualified for bonding on larger projects
Roberto is now evaluating opportunities in the $3-5M project range—opportunities that weren't possible before establishing the financing infrastructure.