Accuracy of Claims

1 Our Approach to Accuracy

Marawood operates at the intersection of accounting, data, and construction industry knowledge. The content and tools we publish reflect a deliberate editorial process:

• We distinguish between facts and professional judgment — statutory rates are facts that can be verified against government sources. Benchmark ranges involve judgment, and we say so.
• We cite our sources where possible — and acknowledge when a figure is informed by professional experience rather than a single published source.
• We document limitations explicitly — every tool includes disclosure about what it does and does not account for.
• We maintain a review cycle — time-sensitive rates are reviewed annually. We do not publish and forget.
• We welcome corrections — if you identify an error in our tools or content, we want to know. Contact details are at the bottom of this page.

2 The Benchmark Data — Sources & Methodology

The Construction Profitability Benchmark Calculator contains benchmark ranges for gross margin, overhead rate, and net margin across 30 ICI trades and 7 revenue bands. These figures represent the most practically useful aspect of our tool suite — and the area where methodology transparency matters most.

How the benchmarks were developed

The benchmark ranges are derived from two complementary sources:

• Third-party industry research — published data from construction industry associations, construction CFO and advisory publications, trade-specific benchmarking studies, and CRA industry statistics. No single source covers all 30 trades at all revenue levels, which is why multiple sources were synthesized.
• Professional experience — validated and refined against direct experience working with Western Canadian construction businesses across multiple trades and revenue levels. Where published data was thin or inconsistent, professional judgment informed by real engagement data was applied.

What the benchmarks represent

The ranges represent typical performance for healthy, sustainable businesses in each trade and revenue band — not theoretical maximums or industry averages that include distressed businesses. A contractor within the benchmark range is performing in line with what well-run businesses in their category typically achieve.

Geographic scope

The benchmark data is most directly applicable to Western Canadian ICI construction contractors. While many of the underlying cost structures and margin expectations are broadly consistent across Canada, regional labour markets, material costs, and competitive dynamics can cause meaningful variation. Contractors outside Western Canada should apply additional judgment when interpreting results.

What is not covered

The benchmark calculator covers ICI (Industrial, Commercial, Institutional) trades. The following are outside the current scope:

• Residential homebuilders and custom home builders
• Residential renovators and remodelers
• Landscape and site contractors outside civil earthwork
• Specialty trades not listed in the trade dropdown

These exclusions reflect the limits of available benchmark data, not a judgment about their importance. We may expand coverage in future versions.

3 Statutory Rates — Currency & Sources

Several tools contain statutory rates set by government — CPP contribution rates, EI premiums, WCB assessments, and statutory holiday entitlements. These change annually and must be kept current to be useful.

Statutory rates are reviewed each January following federal and provincial budget announcements and CRA publications. Tools are updated as soon as material changes are confirmed. The "Last updated" date on each tool reflects the most recent review.

4 What Our Tools Are — And Are Not

What they are

Our tools are directional financial planning instruments. They are designed to help contractors understand their numbers, identify gaps, and ask better questions — faster than a spreadsheet and without needing an accountant in the room.

• Good for: understanding whether your margins are in the right range
• Good for: estimating the true cost of a worker or a piece of equipment
• Good for: sizing a line of credit conversation with your banker
• Good for: understanding the difference between markup and margin
• Good for: generating the right questions to bring to your accountant

What they are not

• Not a substitute for professional accounting advice — results should be reviewed with a qualified accountant before making significant financial decisions
• Not a payroll system — the burdened labour calculator produces estimates; actual payroll must be processed through a compliant payroll system
• Not an audit or assurance engagement — benchmark results are not equivalent to a financial review or audit
• Not legal or tax advice — nothing in our tools constitutes legal, tax, or regulatory advice
• Not real-time — statutory rates are updated annually, not in real-time; always verify current rates with CRA and WCB Alberta for payroll decisions

5 Written Content & Editorial Process

Articles, guides, and commentary published on marawood.ca reflect the professional knowledge and experience of Doug Watmough and the Marawood team. Our editorial process for written content:

• Research — claims are supported by CRA publications, Alberta Employment Standards, industry association data, or professional experience where published sources are limited
• Review — content involving statutory rates or legal requirements is reviewed against current government sources before publication
• Dating — time-sensitive content is dated so readers can assess currency
• Updates — content is updated when we become aware of material changes to the underlying facts. We do not silently revise content — significant updates are noted with a revised date

Where content reflects professional opinion rather than established fact, we use language that makes this clear — phrases like "in our experience," "typically," or "we recommend" signal professional judgment rather than universal truth.

6 How to Report an Error

If you identify a factual error, an outdated rate, or a calculation that produces an unexpected result, we want to know. Accuracy reports are taken seriously — we review every one and will update the relevant tool or content within a reasonable timeframe.

When reporting an error, the most useful information to include is: what tool or page you were using, what the specific claim or output was, and why you believe it is incorrect (including any sources you are referencing).

We will acknowledge all accuracy reports and notify you when a correction has been made.