CONTRACTOR GLOSSARY · MATERIALS & PURCHASING
What is Will-call?
Will-call is phoning or sending an order in ahead so the supply house pulls and stages it — you pick it up at the counter instead of shopping the aisles.
Instead of standing at the counter reading a list while the line grows behind you, the order goes in by phone, email, or app; the house pulls it and stages it at will-call; whoever's driving past grabs it. For anything bigger than a handful of fittings, it's the difference between a five-minute stop and a lost hour.
The case for it is simple: counter time is unbilled time, and orders built at the counter from memory are how the second trip happens. Ordering from the takeoff or the plans, ahead of time, gets the right material with the least skilled labor spent fetching it — the apprentice can make the pickup because the thinking already happened.
Will-call material still generates a ticket, and it still needs the same two habits: check the staged order against what you ordered before leaving the counter, and make sure the ticket carries the job account.
Common questions
When does will-call beat delivery?
When the order is small enough to ride in the truck and you need it sooner than the delivery routing allows — or you're passing the supply house anyway. Big, heavy, or bulk material is usually worth scheduling as a delivery.
Do you still need to check a will-call order?
Yes — staged means pulled, not verified. Count it against your order at the counter, because a shortage found there is fixed in a minute; the same shortage found at the job is a return trip.
Related terms
RevnuPros tracks the thing, not just the word
Permits to sign-off, T&M tags to signature, materials to billed through, retainage to released — built for subcontractors. Browse the full contractor glossary or the Massachusetts permit guide.
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