Industries · Working with businesses anywhere in the U.S.
Bookkeeping for contractors and construction companies.
Construction books get messy fast. Money comes in on progress bills, costs land on the wrong job, and by the time you see a profit and loss the project is long done. I set up QuickBooks so every dollar lands on a job, then keep it that way every month, so you can see which jobs make money while they're still running.
What I handle
The parts of your books that need extra care.
On top of monthly bookkeeping (every account reconciled, the month closed, reports you can read), here's what I watch closely for businesses like yours.
- Job costing: labor, materials and subcontractors coded to the right job
- Progress billing and retainage tracked on every contract
- Work-in-progress schedules that show over and under billings
- Subcontractor W-9s collected and 1099s ready at year end
- Equipment and vehicle loans on schedules your CPA can use
- A job profitability report every month, next to your profit and loss
Sound familiar?
“I can't tell which jobs actually made money.”
“Retainage is sitting out there and I'm not sure how much.”
“Sub 1099s are a scramble every January.”
If your books are behind, that's a normal place to start. I'll quote the cleanup separately, before any work begins.
Experience
Thirty years of closing the books.
As controller for a three-division manufacturer, I ran job costing and work in progress. Contractors need the same discipline, sized for a smaller company.
I'm a Certified QuickBooks ProAdvisor, certified in QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks payroll, and I do the work myself. You won't be handed off to a junior bookkeeper. More about me
Questions
Questions contractors ask me.
How much does bookkeeping cost for contractors?
Most contractors start on my Complex plan, from $1,200 a month. Job costing and work in progress put most contractors on Complex. Smaller trades with a few jobs at a time sometimes fit Growth. After a free 20-minute call you get a fixed quote in writing, and it's month to month.
Do you do job costing in QuickBooks Online?
Yes. I set up projects or classes so labor, materials and subcontractors land on the right job, then send you a job profitability report every month. QuickBooks Online Plus or Advanced is usually the right fit for job costing.
Can you handle progress billing and retainage?
Yes. I track what you've billed and collected on each contract, plus the retainage you're owed and the retainage you owe your subs, so nothing slips at closeout.
Free consultation
Let's talk about your books.
Book a free 20-minute call. Tell me how you run things today and I'll tell you what I'd do, and what it would cost.