Pillar guide

Bookkeeping for contractors

Generic bookkeepers treat you like a coffee shop. Contractors need job costing, trade-native categories, subcontractor tracking, and books that match what happened in the field, not just what hit the bank.

Why contractor books break

Most bookkeeping failures in trades come from three gaps: field tools disconnected from the ledger, job structure destroyed during cleanup, and closes that are not reviewed for contractor-specific items (1099s, WIP, vehicle splits, materials vs COGS).

Merged all jobs into one "Income" class
Preserved your Class/Location structure, Job Profit Report shows winners and bleeders
Categorized Home Depot as "Office Supplies"
Materials vs tools vs vehicle, trade-native chart of accounts
FSM revenue ≠ bank deposits, nobody reconciled
FSM-to-QBO sync on Crew+ aligns invoices, fees, and deposits
Books "whenever", tax panic in March
Books by the 15th guarantee, prior month closed on calendar

What you get with TradeBookkeepingPro

Monthly fulfillment (CPA-backed)

  • Reconcile every bank & credit account to the statement
  • Categorize with vendor rules, recurring entries & QA
  • CPA-reviewed close (prepaids, accruals, depreciation)
  • Trade-native chart of accounts, subs, materials, vehicle, tools
  • Branded monthly reporting pack
  • Catch-up / cleanup up to 24 months (when sold)

Our contractor layer

  • Class-preservation SLA, we never delete or merge your job structure
  • Books by the 15th or that month is free
  • Dedicated bookkeeper, not a rotating offshore pool
  • Monthly Insights, revenue, expenses, net, cash, one plain-English flag
  • FSM-to-QuickBooks sync (Jobber, ServiceTitan, Housecall Pro) on Crew+
  • Job Profit Report, see which jobs made or lost money
  • Zero lock-in, month-to-month after prepaid term; you keep your QBO file

Who each plan fits

  • Truck, Solo operator, 1 to 2 accounts, simple job tracking
  • Crew, Growing crew, job costing, FSM sync included
  • Shop, Payroll, 1099 subs, AR/AP, priority close
  • Builder, Multi-entity, high volume, custom mapping

Compare all plans & add-ons →

Bookkeeping by trade

Every trade carries different materials, job types, and subcontractor patterns. These guides cover the categories, job costing, and 1099 details that matter for your work.

Bookkeeping for PlumbersBookkeeping for ElectriciansBookkeeping for HVAC ContractorsBookkeeping for PaintersBookkeeping for LandscapersBookkeeping for RoofersBookkeeping for General ContractorsBookkeeping for Owner-OperatorsBookkeeping for HandymenBookkeeping for SubcontractorsBookkeeping for Concrete Contractors

Stop guessing. Start closing.

6-month prepaid + catch-up available · You keep your QuickBooks file

Get started See plans
100% Contractor FocusCPA-Reviewed Monthly ClosesBooks by the 15th GuaranteeClass-Preservation SLAYou Own Your QuickBooks FileFSM-to-QuickBooks Sync100% Contractor FocusCPA-Reviewed Monthly ClosesBooks by the 15th GuaranteeClass-Preservation SLAYou Own Your QuickBooks FileFSM-to-QuickBooks Sync