Accounting Built for Construction & Trades
Construction runs on job costing, progress billing, subcontractor 1099s and heavy equipment — and generic books hide which jobs actually make money. We give you per-job clarity and clean tax filing.
- Job costing & progress billing
- Subcontractor 1099 tracking
- Equipment depreciation handled
- Filed by a CPA & EA team
In construction and the trades, profit lives at the job level — and a top-line P&L hides it. Add subcontractors, progress billing and expensive equipment, and the accounting gets tricky fast. Here's how we handle it.
Job costing is the whole game
A contractor can look profitable overall while losing money on specific jobs. Without job-level costing you can't tell which bids work and which bleed.
- Costs tracked by job, not just lumped into one P&L
- Materials, labor and subs allocated to the right project
- Progress billing and retainage handled correctly
Subcontractors and equipment
Trades run on subcontractors and gear, both of which carry tax traps if handled loosely.
- 1099s for subs filed correctly, with classification risk flagged
- Equipment and vehicle depreciation set up to maximise deductions
- Section 179 and bonus depreciation applied where they help
Not sure if a worker is a sub or an employee? Run the 1099 vs W-2 calculator.
Explore related help
1099 vs W-2 calculator · Bookkeeping service · Cash-flow forecasting · US tax filing.
Frequently asked questions
Can you set up job costing in my books?
Yes. We structure your bookkeeping so every cost ties to a job, giving you true per-project profitability.
Do you handle subcontractor 1099s?
Yes. We track subcontractor payments through the year and file accurate 1099s, flagging any worker-classification risk.
Can you maximise equipment deductions?
We apply depreciation, Section 179 and bonus depreciation where they benefit you, so big equipment purchases lower your tax bill correctly.
How much does construction accounting cost?
Plans start at $249/mo based on job volume and complexity. Get a free quote for an exact figure.
Know which jobs make money
Get job-costed books, sub tracking and tax filing from one CPA & EA team.
Get my free quoteTalk to a CPAHow we file taxes for construction & trades
Filing for this industry has its own forms, dates and deductions. Here's exactly what a construction & trade return involves when we prepare it.
The forms
1120-S/1065 with job-cost accounting; percentage-of-completion vs completed-contract method elections on long-term contracts; heavy 1099-NEC subcontractor reporting; equipment depreciation schedules.
The deadlines
Entity returns March 15; 1099-NECs January 31 (the volume industry — collect W-9s before the first check); quarterly payroll and estimates. Full calendar on our 2026 deadlines page.
The deductions that matter here
Section 179/bonus on equipment and vehicles, per-job material and sub costs, small-contractor exemption from percentage-of-completion where eligible, home-office for owner-operators, union and licensing fees.
Filing FAQ
Percentage-of-completion — do we have to use it?
Only above revenue thresholds or on ineligible contracts; qualifying small contractors can often use simpler methods. The election is made on the return and affects cash flow for years — worth choosing deliberately.
Subs won't give me W-9s. What's my exposure?
Backup-withholding obligations and 1099 penalties land on you, not them. Make the W-9 a condition of the first payment — we provide the onboarding pack clients use.