You’re booked solid for the next three months. Crews are busy, jobs are lined up, and the work keeps coming.
But your bank account? Barely breathing.
You’re not alone — a lot of contractors doing $500K–$5M are in the same boat. On paper, your business looks profitable. But somehow, there’s never enough cash to cover everything without sweating.
The problem isn’t just slow payments or “bad luck.”
It’s your accounting — or more specifically, how your accounting is (or isn’t) helping you run the business. Most accounting firms just spit out reports and call it good. But that doesn’t solve job costing problems, field-vs-office chaos, or the endless cycle of robbing Peter to pay Paul.
Let’s break down what real contractor accounting support should actually do — and how it fixes cash flow fast.
The Real Problem Isn’t “Accounting” — It’s What You’re Not Seeing
Most accounting firms just keep score.
They’ll give you a P&L, maybe a balance sheet, and tell you whether you made money.
But here’s the thing:
Knowing you “made money” doesn’t mean you know where it went.
And for contractors, that’s the difference between having cash in the bank — or panicking every Friday.
Here’s what traditional accounting misses:
🔹 Job Costing That’s Too Vague
You know what you made on the job, but not what it actually cost you.
Lump-sum labor, materials, and subs with no breakdown = margin mystery.
“We made $80K last month — so why are we broke?”
Because three jobs went over on labor, and nobody caught it until way too late.
🔹 Billing and Draws That Don’t Match Reality
Billing schedules often don’t line up with when the work (and cost) actually happens.
And if you’re floating labor and materials while waiting on payments?
Cash gets tight — fast.
“The job is halfway done but we’ve only billed 20% — and payroll’s due Friday.”
What Contractor-Focused Accounting Actually Looks Like
Contractors don’t need more spreadsheets.
They need clear answers — fast.
Here’s what real, construction-specific accounting services should do:
✅ Job Costing That Flags Trouble Early
You shouldn’t be finding out a job went sideways after the money’s gone.
Contractor-focused accounting tracks actual labor, materials, and subs against budget — in real time. You know where things stand before they spiral.
Example: “Framing crew’s hours are 30% over budget by week 2 — time to step in.”
✅ Billing Support That Keeps You Ahead
A good accounting team helps you bill smarter — not just on time.
They’ll track when you can bill, how much you should bill, and how it lines up with job progress and expenses.
“You’ve earned 50% of the contract but only billed 35% — time to catch up before cash gets tight.”
✅ Cash Flow Visibility You Can Actually Use
Not a forecast full of guesses. Not a one-time report.
You need a weekly view of what’s coming in, what’s going out, and what’s about to sneak up on you.
“You’re good for the next 3 weeks — but that draw delay on the Johnson job means we need a backup plan for payroll.”
Want to Know Where Your Cash Is Actually Going?
If you’re booked but broke — it’s not your work ethic. It’s not your crew.
It’s the numbers behind the scenes that aren’t telling you the truth.
The good news? You don’t need a full-time CFO to fix it.
You just need someone who understands contractors, not cubicles.
That’s exactly what the Free Profit Checkup is for.
We’ll look at your books, job flow, and billing — and show you exactly what’s draining your cash. No pressure. No commitment. Just clarity.
👉 Take the Free Profit Checkup now and see what your numbers are really saying.
❓ FAQ: Contractor Accounting Services
What are contractor accounting services?
Contractor accounting services go beyond basic bookkeeping. They focus on job costing, billing schedules, and cash flow tracking specific to construction businesses — helping you stay profitable on every job.
Why do contractors need specialized accounting?
Construction businesses deal with complex billing, fluctuating labor costs, and unpredictable cash flow. Generic accounting misses these details — which leads to surprises in your bank account.
How can accounting help fix cash flow problems?
By tracking when you actually earn money vs. when you spend it, contractor accounting shows you the gaps. It also helps you bill on time, catch labor overruns early, and avoid cash crunches.
What’s the difference between a CPA and a contractor CFO?
A CPA files taxes and keeps your books clean. A contractor CFO helps you run your business — making sure each job is priced right, billed on time, and leaving cash in your bank.
Real Example: Booked Solid, Cash Strapped
Mike runs a remodeling company pulling in about $1.2 million a year. His calendar? Slammed. His crews? Always on the move. From the outside, he looked like a contractor doing everything right.
But behind the scenes, it was chaos.
He was constantly dipping into credit cards to cover payroll, holding off on paying vendors, and stressing every time a draw came in late. His P&L said he was profitable — but the bank account didn’t agree.
We ran a quick analysis. Turns out Mike’s “profitable” jobs were quietly draining cash. Labor costs ran over on three jobs, subs added extra charges he didn’t catch, and he had under-billed on a major project by nearly 20%.
In just one quarter, he lost over $42,000 without realizing it.
The kicker? His accountant had no idea. The books looked clean — but they weren’t connected to what was actually happening on the job.
Mike didn’t need to hustle harder. He needed better job costing, smarter billing support, and weekly cash visibility.
3 Numbers You Should See Every Week
If you’re not watching these numbers like a hawk, cash surprises are just a matter of time. Most contractors wait until there’s a problem — but by then, it’s already too late.
Here’s what you should be reviewing every single week:
1. Cash In
What payments actually hit the bank this week? Not what you invoiced — what showed up. If you’re counting on money that hasn’t cleared, you’re flying blind.
2. Cash Out
What’s scheduled to go out in the next two weeks — payroll, vendor payments, credit cards? Most contractors miss this until the day-of.
3. Cash at Risk
Which jobs are trending over budget right now? If labor or materials are creeping up, you need to see it now — not after the job’s closed out.
With these three numbers in front of you, you’ll make decisions based on truth, not gut feel.
What happens if I don’t track job costs accurately?
You’ll think you’re making money — until your cash flow says otherwise.
When job costing is vague or delayed, small problems go unnoticed until they become expensive. Maybe labor goes long. Maybe you eat a change order. Maybe a sub charges more than expected.
And because it’s not flagged in real time, you just keep going — assuming the job’s fine.
By the time you “close the books,” it’s too late. That one job might’ve wiped out the profit from three others — and now you’re using this month’s draw to cover last month’s mistakes.
Accurate job costing isn’t just accounting. It’s your early warning system.