Construction bookkeeping should show which jobs were winners. A busy year and tight cash usually mean it doesn’t.
Most contractors don’t have a bookkeeping problem. They have a job problem hiding inside the books.
When labor, materials, and subs sit in one pile, the company P&L can look fine while two jobs quietly lose money. That’s how profitable companies still run out of cash mid-project.
The P&L lies
A company-wide profit number doesn’t tell you which bid to repeat and which one to stop taking.
Cash shows up late
Retainage, progress bills, and slow draws mean the bank balance and the job profit are not the same thing.
Tax time is a scramble
If the file isn’t built for jobs all year, March becomes a reconstruction project.
What you get
Construction books, not generic small-business books.
I help contractors see job profit, stay ready for the bank or bonding conversation, and stop guessing at month-end.
✓
QuickBooks setup built for jobs
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Monthly job P&Ls so you can see winners and losers
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A simple view of over- / under-billing so cash timing isn’t a mystery
✓
Cleanup of messy files before tax season or a bond package
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Monthly close so you’re not reconstructing the year in March
How it works
Simple on purpose.
Step 1
Book the Health Check. Tell me your trade, roughly how many jobs you run, and whether you’re on QuickBooks.
Step 2
We talk by phone. No screen-share required. You describe how jobs, bills, and QuickBooks work today. I tell you the top 3 fixes.
Step 3
If it’s a fit, we scope cleanup first (if needed), then monthly bookkeeping. You get a next step before you get off the call.
The offer
Job-Cost Health Check — 30 minutes
- This is not a free month of bookkeeping. It’s a working look at whether your QuickBooks file can answer:
- What’s the profit on job X?
- Are we billing what we’ve earned?
- Why is cash tight if the jobs “look fine”?
If the books aren’t a fit — wrong software, wrong size, or you need a full-time controller — I’ll tell you that on the call.
Who it’s for
Built for owner-operators in the trades.
Good fit
Electricians, plumbers, HVAC, roofers, concrete, framers, remodelers, and specialty subs — in Salem, Albany, Eugene, Corvallis, anywhere in Oregon, or anywhere in the USA. If you run multiple jobs and are tired of finding out the truth at tax time, you’re in the right place.
Not a fit
- You're looking for the cheapest $199/month bookkeeper
- You want tax preparation only and no monthly job reports
- You're a large GC that needs a full accounting department
About
Jeremy Marshall, QuickBooks ProAdvisor
I run an online bookkeeping practice focused on contractors. My clients are in Salem, Albany, Eugene, Corvallis, and across the country. The goal is not prettier reports. The goal is numbers you can use to bid the next job and sleep at month-end.
I worked in commercial construction — laborer, then superintendent and estimator — so I already know why a job can look busy and still lose money.
FAQ's
Common Questions
How is this different from a regular bookkeeper?
General bookkeepers close the month. Construction books have to close by job — labor, materials, subs, and what you’ve billed versus what you’ve earned.
Do I have to be on QuickBooks?
That’s what I work in. If you’re on something else, say so on the booking form and we’ll see if a switch or cleanup is worth it.
What do I need for the Health Check?
Access to QuickBooks (or a screen-share) and a rough list of active jobs. That’s enough to spot the big setup problems.
What if my books are a mess?
That’s common. Cleanup is a separate project with a clear scope. Monthly service starts after the file can support job reports.
Do you only work locally?
I work with contractors in Lebanon, Salem, Albany, Eugene, and Corvallis, Oregon. With cloud-based technology and QuickBooks online, I can work with clients anywhere in the USA.
What does monthly service cost?
Depends on number of accounts and average monthly transactions, payroll, and how clean the file is. I’ll quote after the Health Check so the price matches the file, not a guess from a website.