Pay App Burn Rate Calculator

Pay app pace signals project health.

Contract value

Paid to date

Actual completed %

Months elapsed

Total contract months

Burn variance

$560,000

Expected paid at this point

$10,440,000

Avg monthly burn

$1,100,000

How the math works

Expected = contract × completed %. Variance = paid − expected. Positive variance = overbilling.

$11M paid vs $10.44M expected (58%) = +$560k overbilling. Monthly burn $1.1M. Investigate front-loading risk.

How to Use

Enter contract value.
Enter pay apps submitted to date.
Enter total completed %.
Enter months elapsed.
Read burn vs expected and completion variance.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's a pay app?

Contractor's monthly billing request showing % complete per schedule-of-values line item. Formal document with lien waivers. Owner reviews, adjusts, approves before disbursing loan proceeds. Monthly pay app vs schedule flags delay early.

Reading burn?

Pay app = completion × contract. Monthly burn = this month's $ approved. Below plan = behind schedule. Above plan with same schedule = possibly front-loading (overbilling early to fund work). Monitor carefully — overbilling creates liability.

Red flags?

Persistent over-billing by GC (completed % rising faster than actual work). Pay apps delayed by more than 5 days beyond schedule. Lien waivers missing or unsigned. Stored materials exceeding reasonable levels. Change orders clustering at end of month.