Making money in construction requires more than craftsmanship. Builders who thrive financially understand their numbers, enforce discipline, and create systems that scale. Will King of High Cotton Homes in Florence, Alabama, is one of those builders. In our latest episode he shares his journey from fireman to founder of a high-end custom homebuilding company along with a ton of lessons for contractors who want to build a sustainable business.

From Passion Project to Profitable Business

When Will launched High Cotton Homes, he was laser-focused on building science- airtight envelopes, high-performance details, and stunning craftsmanship. But like many passionate builders, he was flying blind on the business side. Invoices stacked up, overhead expanded, and profits disappeared. It wasn’t until he joined a national peer group that he faced a tough realization: his business was underperforming.

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They thought they were running a 13% net margin. The reality? Closer to 6%. The wake-up call sparked a shift. He dug into the numbers, restructured operations, and prioritized financial clarity alongside build quality.

Turning Margin Leaks into Profit Builders

High Cotton’s turnaround came from tightening up processes and redefining value. First, Will got clear on the critical difference between margin and markup, a simple misstep that can quietly wipe out profits. Then he stopped giving away his time for free.

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By charging for pre-construction agreements, he not only created a revenue stream but filtered out uncommitted prospects. His team began self-performing services like excavation and design, turning labor and expertise into added income. They started applying a margin to in-house labor and rethinking how they handled change orders, insurance, and subscriptions.

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It wasn’t about nickel-and-diming clients. It was about making sure the business wasn’t losing money doing work that wasn’t being tracked or billed.

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Key profit strategies Will implemented:

• Charge for pre-construction agreements to filter prospects and add revenue
• Understand and apply margin correctly (not just markup)
• Add services like in-house excavation and design
• Apply margin to internal labor, not just subcontractors
• Audit subscriptions and admin overhead for unnecessary spend
• Charge appropriately for change orders and project management

The Power of Saying No

One of the hardest, and most important, skills in construction business growth is knowing when to walk away. Will learned to identify red-flag clients early through pre-construction filtering and deep conversation. The result? Healthier margins, fewer headaches, and a reputation for delivering high-quality homes with clarity and consistency.

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Not every project is worth the risk. Learning to say no became one of High Cotton’s most profitable moves.

Final Thoughts

Running a custom homebuilding business without financial clarity is a recipe for burnout. Builders who want to grow (and grow profitably) need systems, structure, and the courage to charge what they’re worth. The lesson? Building a good house isn’t enough. You need to build a business too.

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Profitability comes from intention, not luck. And for builders willing to invest in process and protect their margins, there’s real money to be made.

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