Accounting for Seattle Contractors

Construction accounting organizes financial information around projects as well as the company as a whole. In addition to ordinary bookkeeping, it tracks job revenue, labor, materials, subcontractors, equipment, change orders, retainage when applicable, and overhead. The goal is to show not only whether the company made money, but how individual jobs performed.

Regular bookkeeping may categorize materials, payroll, and subcontractors only by expense type. Contractor bookkeeping also connects those costs to the correct project. Without that job-level structure, company-wide reports can look accurate while still failing to show which projects made or lost money.

The service is designed for Seattle-area general contractors, residential remodelers, builders, and specialty trades such as plumbing, electrical, HVAC, roofing, painting, landscaping, and restoration. It is most valuable for owner-led companies managing multiple jobs, employees, crews, or regular subcontractors.

Job costing matches each project’s revenue with its direct labor, materials, subcontractors, equipment, and other attributable costs. Comparing those actual costs with the estimate helps reveal margin erosion, missed change orders, underpriced labor, material overruns, and other problems that a company-wide profit-and-loss statement may hide.

The appropriate structure depends on the trade and project type, but common categories include field labor, payroll burden, materials, subcontractors, equipment, permits, disposal, delivery, and other direct project expenses. Company overhead should be kept distinct so owners can understand both job-level gross profit and overall business profit.

Yes. The first step is assessing how far behind the books are, whether accounts have been reconciled, and whether transactions can be assigned reliably to jobs. From there, Count On That® can recommend a defined cleanup scope and a monthly process designed to keep the same problems from returning.

We begin by reviewing the accounting software and workflow you already use. In many cases, better project structure, account mapping, transaction coding, and consistent monthly procedures can improve job-cost reporting without an immediate software change. If the current system cannot support your needs, we will explain the limitation and appropriate next step.

Not necessarily. The right arrangement depends on what is missing. Count On That® can assess whether you need monthly bookkeeping, contractor-specific reporting, tax support, a cleanup project, or better coordination among existing providers. The recommended scope should solve the gap without duplicating work unnecessarily.

Yes. Washington construction businesses can face different reporting requirements depending on the work performed, where it occurs, and how materials and subcontractor transactions are handled. Count On That® helps organize the accounting records and support the Washington and Seattle tax filings that apply to the engagement. Specific tax treatment is confirmed from the contractor’s facts.

Yes. Good contractor bookkeeping should keep vendor records, payment classifications, and required documentation organized throughout the year. This reduces the year-end scramble and helps identify missing W-9 information before filing deadlines.

Yes. An employee’s hourly wage is only part of the cost. Payroll taxes, workers’ compensation, benefits, overtime, and other labor burden can materially affect job profitability. The accounting setup should capture the labor information needed to compare estimated and actual project cost.

No. Tax preparation reports the year after much of the work is already complete. Contractor-focused monthly accounting helps owners monitor jobs, cash flow, and tax exposure while there is still time to make operating decisions. Tax planning and preparation can then use cleaner, more current information.

The final scope depends on the business, but it may include monthly bookkeeping and reconciliations, job-cost coding, management reports, subcontractor record support, payroll coordination, tax planning, and applicable Washington reporting. Count On That® will define what is included before work begins.

Pricing depends on the current condition of the books, transaction volume, number of bank and credit-card accounts, payroll and subcontractor activity, active jobs, cleanup needs, and reporting complexity. After the initial review, Count On That® will recommend a clear scope and price based on the work required.

Common triggers include running several jobs at once, hiring the first employees, using regular subcontractors, struggling to reconcile profit with cash, falling behind on bookkeeping, preparing for financing or bonding, or reaching the point where the owner can no longer confidently price work from current financial information.

Count On That® will contact you to learn about your trade, current accounting setup, and most urgent problem. If the service appears to fit, we will explain the recommended review or engagement, what information is needed, and what happens next. You are not committing to ongoing service by submitting the form.