When evaluating a contractor for a surety bond, underwriters focus on three key factors known as the Three C’s: Character, Capacity, and Capital. Together, these help determine how likely a contractor is to successfully complete a project without the surety having to step in.
Character: Your Reputation and Track Record
Character reflects your reputation, experience, and reliability. Sureties review your history of completing projects on time and within budget, as well as any disputes, claims, or liens. They also evaluate the strength of your management team and look for positive references from owners, architects, and subcontractors.
Capacity: Can Your Business Handle More Work?
Capacity measures whether your business has the resources to take on additional work. Sureties consider your current backlog, available working capital, and overall workload to ensure you can successfully manage new projects without becoming overextended. Taking on too many jobs at once is one of the most common causes of contractor failure.
Capital: Demonstrating Financial Strength
Capital represents your company’s financial strength. Underwriters review your balance sheet, profitability, cash flow, and the quality of your financial reporting. They also look for strong internal controls, such as accurate job costing, timely financial statements, and effective project management processes, which demonstrate that your business can identify and address issues before they become costly problems.
Understanding the Three C’s can help contractors strengthen their business, improve bonding capacity, and build long-term confidence with surety providers.
Need a surety bond or want to increase your bonding capacity? Contact Construction Bonding Specialists to speak with an experienced bonding professional today.
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At Construction Bonding Specialists, we work with new and experienced contractors to find the most satisfactory bond solutions. As a dedicated surety-bond-only agency with decades of bonding experience, we strive to discover surety solutions for all types of cases, ranging from routine to challenging. Contact us online or call us at 248-349-6227 to learn more.
Written by the Digital Marketing Team at Creative Programs & Systems: https://www.cpsmi.com/.