Steele Bookkeeping provides bookkeeping for construction companies, including general contractors, specialty trades, electricians, HVAC contractors, and remodelers across the United States. We work in QuickBooks Online to track your jobs, costs, and cash flow, so you always know which projects are making money. If your books are months behind, see our bookkeeping cleanup and catch-up services.
Construction bookkeeping is different from bookkeeping for most other businesses. Your income and expenses are tied to individual jobs, payments often arrive in stages, and costs can change from one week to the next. A construction bookkeeper keeps all of this organized by:
Tracking income and expenses by job or project
Recording progress billing, change orders, and retainage
Categorizing material, labor, and subcontractor costs
Managing accounts payable and receivable
Reconciling bank and credit card accounts
Preparing financial reports, including job profitability
For most small and mid-sized contractors, yes. QuickBooks Online allows you to separate costs by customer and job, send invoices, track bills and expenses, and connect to your bank and credit card accounts. When it is set up correctly and kept current, it gives you a clear picture of your finances without the expense of specialized construction software.
In general, QuickBooks Online Plus or Advanced fits contractors best because both include project tracking and job profitability reporting. Simple Start and Essentials may work for very small businesses, but they offer fewer tools for tracking jobs. The right plan depends on the size of your company and how much detail you need, and we are glad to help you choose during a consultation.
It depends on your business. Many small contractors use the cash method for its simplicity. Larger companies and those with long-term contracts often use the accrual method, or methods that recognize income as a project progresses, such as percentage of completion. Tax rules can apply to certain long-term contracts, so we recommend confirming your method with your CPA. We keep your books organized to support whichever method you use.
Can you track costs for each job in QuickBooks Online?
Yes. We set up your books to track income and expenses by customer or project, giving you a clear view of profitability for each job.
Why do clean books matter for a construction company?
Clean books show what each job actually costs, so you know which projects are profitable. They also help you manage uneven cash flow, stay compliant at tax time, and make confident bidding and hiring decisions. Accurate records make it easier to qualify for loans and bonding, and they build trust with clients.
How do I know if my construction books need help?
Common warning signs include large swings in profit from month to month, transactions that are entered late or duplicated, and uncertainty about how much cash you have. If you can't run reliable reports or feel unsure about purchases and hiring, your books likely need attention. If any of that sounds familiar, we can review your file and walk you through our bookkeeping cleanup service, which gets your books accurate and caught up so you can see what each job is really earning.
Whether you need ongoing bookkeeping or help cleaning up a messy file, we can help you keep track of every job and every dollar. Schedule your free 15-minute consultation today, and let's talk about the best way to support your construction business.
