The Subcontractor Trap

You Can Be Busy. You Can Be Profitable. You Can Still Be Running Out of Cash.

Commercial construction depends on subcontractors. Yet too often, the companies doing the work are expected to finance it, absorbing the costs of labor, materials, delays, retainage, and contractual risks long before receiving payment.

The Subcontractor Trap examines how capable, hardworking construction businesses can find themselves financially strained despite having profitable projects and full schedules.

Through real-world experience and an examination of the industry's financial structure, Tara Cristel explores how cash flow timing, risk transfer, and accepted business practices create challenges that extend far beyond individual companies.

This book is about questioning what we've accepted as normal, understanding the true cost of doing business, and creating a stronger future for the subcontractors who build our communities.

COMING NOVEMBER 20, 2026

The Subcontractor Trap will be available to purchase directly through The Subcontractor Project.

Stay connected for launch updates and ordering information!