Bookkeeping for Contractors & Trades

Trade contractors have bookkeeping needs that generic firms simply do not understand. Between job costing across dozens of active projects, managing subcontractor 1099s, tracking equipment depreciation, and surviving seasonal cash flow swings, your books require a specialist who knows the trades inside and out.

Steph's Books is a proud preferred bookkeeping vendor for ServiceMaster franchise owners — supporting their restoration and janitorial operations with the financial clarity needed to run a profitable franchise.

We work with HVAC, plumbing, electrical, general contracting, and landscaping companies across the country. Our team understands the difference between a service call and a new construction install, how to track truck stock, and why your overhead rate should never be a single number applied to every job.

Industries We Specialize In

• HVAC Contractors — Seasonal cash flow management, service agreement revenue recognition, technician payroll with spiffs and commissions, equipment depreciation
• Plumbing Contractors — Job costing across service/repair and new construction, subcontractor 1099 management, truck stock inventory tracking, tiered labor burden rates
• Electrical Contractors — Residential vs. commercial job costing, prevailing wage and certified payroll compliance, apprentice ratio tracking, permit fee management *(coming soon)*
• General Contractors — WIP reporting, AIA/progress billing, retainage holdbacks, percentage-of-completion accounting, bonding readiness *(coming soon)*
• Landscaping Companies — Extreme seasonality planning, crew labor tracking, maintenance contracts vs. project billing, equipment fleet depreciation *(coming soon)*

What Makes Trade Bookkeeping Different

Job Costing Is Everything

In the trades, knowing your total revenue means nothing if you cannot tell which jobs made money and which ones lost it. A plumbing service call at $350 might cost $400 after fully loaded labor, truck stock, and drive time. An HVAC install at $8,000 might only yield a 12% margin after subcontractor costs and warranty reserves. We set up your books to track profitability at the job level — not just the company level.

Subcontractor Complexity

Most trade contractors work with a mix of W-2 employees and 1099 subcontractors. Managing this correctly means collecting W-9s at onboarding, tracking payments by vendor, and filing 1099-NECs on time. The IRS penalty for a missing 1099 is $310 per form — and worker misclassification can trigger back taxes, fines, and workers' comp liability. We handle the tracking so you do not get surprised at year end.

Equipment Depreciation and Section 179

Service vans, trucks, trailers, heavy equipment, and specialized tools — trade contractors carry significant asset bases. The 2026 Section 179 deduction allows you to expense up to $2,560,000 in qualifying equipment purchases. Vehicles over 6,000 lbs GVWR can be fully expensed, while lighter vehicles face luxury auto limits. We make sure every asset is properly classified and depreciated to maximize your tax savings.

Seasonal Cash Flow

Whether it is HVAC companies navigating summer/winter spikes with spring/fall dead zones, or landscaping companies facing 60–80% revenue drops in winter, seasonal cash flow management is a survival skill in the trades. We help you build cash reserves during peak months, forecast slow periods, and structure maintenance contracts to stabilize revenue year-round.