Bookkeeping for Contractors: Simplify Jobs, Track Cash Flow

Whether you’re a general contractor, electrician, roofer, or remodeler, running a construction business is more than just completing jobs. You’re managing crews, bidding on projects, paying for materials, and trying to stay cash-flow positive in between.

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Professional bookkeeping helps you make sense of it all – so you know which jobs make money, which don’t, and how to keep growing without financial stress.

Why Contractors Need Specialized Bookkeeping

Contracting businesses deal with:

• Irregular income and progress billing
• High material and labor costs
• Down payments, change orders, and retainage
• Equipment leases and vehicle expenses
• 1099 subcontractor tracking
• Job costing and margin analysis

Bookkeeping ensures each dollar is tied to a project – not floating in your bank with no clear purpose.

Solo Contractor in Florida vs. Full Crew in California

A solo handyman in Florida might need basic income/expense tracking, mileage logs, and quarterly tax prep.

A licensed GC in California with five crews, multiple job sites, and vendor accounts needs full job costing, subcontractor 1099 prep, and real-time cash flow tracking by job.

Both benefit from clean books that match what’s really happening in the field.

Real Test Case

A roofing contractor in Texas was relying on QuickBooks alone with no structure. They had no clue which jobs were profitable or if markup was enough. After switching to Remote Books Online for $155/month, they now receive:

• Job-level profitability reports
• Reconciled vendor and client payments
• Estimated vs. actual cost summaries
• Monthly P&L and year-end prep

They adjusted bids, reduced underpricing, and increased net margins in 60 days.

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State Tax Rules Vary – So Should Your Bookkeeping

Some states charge sales tax on services or materials. Some require contractor license renewals tied to business financials. Bookkeeping helps you:

• Track deductible vehicle/equipment use
• Separate materials from labor (where required)
• Issue 1099s to subcontractors
• Stay compliant with state business rules

Better Books = Better Bids

When you know what your costs really are, you bid smarter, price better, and grow faster – without guessing if you’re making money.

FAQs

Can I track expenses by job?

Yes. We’ll organize income and expenses by project, so you know which jobs are profitable.

What tools do you work with?

QuickBooks, Excel, Buildertrend, JobNimbus, ServiceTitan — we adapt to your workflow.

Can you help with subcontractor payments and 1099s?

Absolutely. We’ll help track subs, file 1099s, and keep payments categorized correctly.

Do I need to keep receipts?

We sync with your bank, but uploading receipts (or using apps) helps support tax deductions.

I’m behind on books — can I catch up?

Yes. We handle catch-up bookkeeping and can help you get current before tax time.

Let Remote Books Online Help You Run a More Profitable Contracting Business

We support contractors with reliable, project-based bookkeeping – so you can focus on running jobs, not chasing numbers.

Start with a free month of service:

https://www.remotebooksonline.com/bookkeeping/offer

Explore Services for Contractors and Trades:

• QuickBooks Bookkeeping for Service Businesses
• Affordable Monthly Bookkeeping Plans
• Compare Bookkeeping Packages
• Support available in Texas, Florida, California, New York, and Arizona
• Local contractor hubs: Austin TX 73301, Miami FL 33101, Los Angeles CA 90001, New York NY 10001, and Phoenix AZ 85001