Accounting & Bookkeeping for Construction Companies
Job costing, certified payroll, subcontractor 1099s, and tax preparation for Louisiana and California contractors.
Construction accounting is project-based, complex, and unforgiving. Every job needs its own cost tracking. Labor, materials, equipment, and subcontractors must be coded to the correct job and cost type — or your job cost reports will tell you nothing useful. Most general bookkeepers don't understand job costing, and the result is contractors who can't tell which jobs made money and which didn't until it's too late to do anything about it.
ASU specializes in construction company accounting. We set up job costing in QuickBooks from day one, handle certified payroll for public works projects, manage subcontractor documentation and 1099 issuance, and prepare your business and personal tax returns with all applicable contractor deductions applied. Our Louisiana clients also benefit from our deep understanding of Louisiana construction sales and use tax — one of the most complex areas in state tax law.
“You should know if Job #47 made money before you bid Job #48 — not at year-end when your CPA tells you the whole year was a loss.
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Construction Accounting Services
Every financial need for Louisiana and California construction companies — from job costing to certified payroll to tax preparation.
Job Costing & Bookkeeping
- ✓ Job cost setup in QuickBooks
- ✓ Labor, materials & subs by job code
- ✓ Monthly job profitability reports
- ✓ WIP (work in progress) reporting
- ✓ Lender & bonding financial packages
Payroll & Compliance
- ✓ Certified payroll (prevailing wage)
- ✓ Direct deposit & W-2 filing
- ✓ Subcontractor 1099-NEC preparation
- ✓ Workers' comp audit support
- ✓ Multi-state payroll when applicable
Tax Returns & Compliance
- ✓ Business & personal tax returns
- ✓ Equipment depreciation schedules
- ✓ Section 179 & bonus depreciation
- ✓ Quarterly estimated payments
- ✓ Sales & use tax on construction materials
ASU Guarantee
If we ever make an error on your taxes, we pay ALL penalties and interest.
Construction Company Accounting — Frequently Asked Questions
What is job costing and why do construction companies need it?
Job costing tracks all costs — labor, materials, subcontractors, equipment — to specific projects. It's the only way to know if an individual job made money, and it's the foundation of accurate bidding. Without it, you're running blind: a profitable year on paper might be hiding jobs that lost money while others covered the losses.
How does ASU set up job costing in QuickBooks for a construction company?
We configure QuickBooks with jobs, cost codes (labor, materials, subs, equipment, overhead), and classes. Every transaction is coded to the correct job and cost category from day one. We create monthly job profitability reports so you always know which jobs are making money before they close.
Does ASU handle certified payroll for public works and government contracts?
Yes. ASU prepares certified payroll reports for Davis-Bacon and related Acts, prevailing wage compliance, and submittal to relevant agencies. Certified payroll errors are a common compliance problem on public works projects — we handle it correctly.
How does ASU handle subcontractor 1099s for construction companies?
We track all subcontractor payments year-round, collect W-9s before the first payment, flag all 1099-eligible relationships, and issue 1099-NEC forms by the January 31 deadline. No year-end scramble, no missed filings.
What tax deductions can construction companies take that general bookkeepers miss?
Equipment depreciation (including Section 179 and bonus depreciation for accelerated write-offs), home office deductions for contractors, vehicle mileage and actual vehicle expenses, tools and small equipment, bid costs, continuing education, and bonding/insurance premiums. Proper documentation of these items is what separates a mediocre tax return from a great one.
Does ASU help construction companies with WIP (work in progress) reporting?
Yes. WIP schedules show the revenue earned and costs incurred on all active projects, and are required by many lenders and bonding companies for larger contractors. ASU prepares monthly WIP schedules using the percentage-of-completion method.
Can ASU handle accounting for a construction company with multiple active jobs at once?
Yes. Multi-job QuickBooks setup is exactly what we do for contractors. Whether you have 5 active jobs or 50, the setup is the same — every transaction coded to the right job, every month a clear picture of where each project stands.
How does sales and use tax apply to construction materials in Louisiana?
Louisiana sales and use tax on construction materials is complex — it depends on the contract type (lump sum vs. cost-plus), the nature of the materials (incorporated into the structure vs. not), and the parish where the work is performed. Getting this wrong creates significant audit risk. ASU navigates Louisiana construction sales tax correctly.