You finished the job. The customer paid. Money hit your account. But did you actually make money? Most contractors assume a job was profitable if the check cleared. But that assumption ignores the costs that never show up in the quote. The ones that accumulate quietly, job after job, until you're wondering why you're always busy but never getting ahead. These are the hidden costs that kill contractor margins. Drive Time A job 45 minutes away sounds fine. But that's 90 minutes