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Certified payroll reports (CPRs) are a requirement on public works projects, but for subcontractors, they are rarely just another form. They are a weekly task that competes with running crews, managing schedules, handling billing, and keeping projects moving.
To better understand how certified payroll impacts subcontractors day to day, we recently spoke with several subcontractors across different trades and company sizes who use Kaster weekly. Their feedback was candid, practical, and consistent.
Here is what they had to say and why improving certified payroll workflows is critical for the people actually doing the work.
For Enrique G., who manages certified payroll himself while supervising masonry crews, the process used to be entirely manual.
“Before Kaster, everything was manual. I had to put it into a PDF, type it in, print it, sign it, send it back, and submit it,” said Enrique G., EJ Masonry Inc.. “It was very, very time consuming.”
Like many subcontractors, Enrique does not have a large back office team so he does them himself.
Across all three conversations, time came up repeatedly.
Enrique described how certified payrolls would often be rejected weeks after submission for minor issues.
“They would take it, review it, and kick it back a month later for something small,” he said. “A wrong number, a comma, something ridiculous. Then I had to go back weeks just to fix it.”
Since using Kaster, that experience has changed completely.
“I used to spend five to six hours a month on certified payroll,” said Enrique G. “With Kaster, it is down to 20 to 30 minutes and I have not had to correct a single payroll since.”
Another subcontractor shared a similar experience, even when using other systems.
“Some systems have their good and bad,” said a Manager of a Connecticut demolition firm. “But a lot of them feel outdated and overly complicated.” When systems aren’t easy to use, people end up spending extra time figuring out how to get unstuck.
For subcontractors, simplicity is critical.
“Kaster is a very friendly program. It is pretty simple and easy to use,” said the Conn. demolition subcontractor’s manager. “Once it is set up, it works well.”
Sara T. of Universal Electric Company, who manages certified payroll across multiple projects, echoed that sentiment.
“I find Kaster to be very user friendly and to the point,” Sara said. “Some of the other platforms feel outdated. Kaster helps you get the report done and submitted without extra steps.”
For subcontractors, certified payroll software and processes need to be easy because it can impact their compliance status and ultimately delay their monthly cash flow.
One of the most important themes across all conversations was how improved CPR workflows reduce rework and help avoid payment delays.
“There is a lot less jumping around compared to other systems,” Sara explained. “Less rework, less time spent submitting, and fewer compliance issues that affect payment.”
For Enrique, the difference with Kaster was clear.
“Every Friday, I go in, put the hours in, and that is it,” he said. “It auto generates the payroll number, the address, everything. I do not deal with corrections anymore.”
That reliability builds trust between subcontractors and prime contractors and removes one of the biggest friction points on public projects.
Several subcontractors also highlighted the importance of responsive, knowledgeable support.
“The support you offer is great,” said Sara T., Universal Electric Company. “Your responsiveness really stands out.”
She also noted that being able to build relationships with the support team made a real difference, especially during onboarding and early project setup.
In an industry where compliance mistakes can carry serious consequences, knowing that help is readily available matters.
We asked a simple question during each call. What would happen if Kaster were removed from your projects?
Sara did not hesitate.
“I would absolutely reach out to the prime contractor and have a conversation about that decision,” she said. “There would be real implications for us.”
Enrique shared a similar concern, noting that he relies on Kaster across multiple jobs.
“That would be a problem,” he said. “I have got three jobs using it right now.”
When certified payroll processes are quick, clean, and reliable, subcontractors do not want to go back.
Certified payroll will always be part of public works construction. But how it is handled can dramatically affect subcontractors’ time, compliance risk, and cash flow.
From these conversations, the message was clear.
Subcontrators want:
At Kaster, that feedback directly informs how we build and improve the platform. Because the best way to fix certified payroll is to listen to the subcontractors who deal with it every week.
