Bookkeeping for Trades
Your Trade Is Your Expertise. Bookkeeping Is Mine.
You did not get into the trades to spend your evenings sorting receipts and reconciling bank statements. Whether you are an electrician, plumber, HVAC tech, general contractor, or roofer in the Kitchener-Waterloo area, your time is better spent on the job site. not in a spreadsheet.
I work with trades businesses every day. I understand job costing, vehicle logs, subcontractor payments, tool depreciation, and the specific CRA rules that apply to your industry. Let me handle the books so you can focus on the work.
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Trades-Specific Challenges
Why Trades Bookkeeping Is Different
A generic bookkeeper can categorize expenses. But trades businesses have specific financial challenges that require someone who actually understands the industry.
Job Costing
You need to know if each job is actually profitable. That means tracking materials, labour, subcontractor costs, and overhead against the revenue from each project. I set up job costing in QuickBooks so you can see your margins per job, not just at the company level.
Vehicle Expenses
Your truck is your office. Gas, insurance, maintenance, financing. it all adds up. CRA has specific rules about claiming vehicle expenses, especially if you use the vehicle for both business and personal. I make sure your vehicle expenses are tracked properly and your logbook is in order.
Subcontractor Payments
Hiring subs is a normal part of the trades. But every subcontractor payment needs to be properly recorded, and you may need to issue T4A slips at year-end. I track all subcontractor payments in QuickBooks and prepare the slips when the time comes.
Tool & Equipment Depreciation
That new generator, the upgraded drill press, the scaffolding. These are capital assets that get depreciated over time under CRA rules. I track your equipment purchases and calculate the Capital Cost Allowance (CCA) so you claim the right amount each year without triggering a CRA review.
Multiple Revenue Streams
Many trades businesses have more than one revenue stream: new construction, service calls, maintenance contracts, maybe some retail parts sales. Each stream has different margins and different tax implications. I organize your income by category so you can see which parts of your business are most profitable.
HST on Materials
You pay HST on every trip to the supply house. Those Input Tax Credits add up significantly over a year. If your bookkeeper is not tracking them carefully, you are leaving money on the table. I make sure every eligible HST credit is claimed on your returns.
Who I Work With
Trades Businesses Across Kitchener-Waterloo
Trades I Serve
- --Electricians and electrical contractors
- --Plumbers and plumbing companies
- --HVAC technicians and installers
- --General contractors and builders
- --Roofers and siding installers
- --Painters and drywall contractors
- --Landscapers and property maintenance
- --Flooring and tile installers
Areas Served
I work with trades businesses across the Region of Waterloo and beyond. Because everything is virtual through QuickBooks Online, you do not need to be local, but many of my trades clients are right here in the community.
- --Kitchener
- --Waterloo
- --Cambridge
- --Guelph
- --Brantford
- --Stratford and surrounding areas
What You Get
Bookkeeping Built for the Trades
Weekly Bookkeeping with Job-Level Detail
I do not just categorize your expenses. I allocate them to specific jobs when applicable. This means you can pull a report for any project and see exactly what it cost you in materials, labour, and subcontractors. You will know which jobs made money and which ones ate into your margins.
Receipt and Expense Tracking That Works
I know you are not going to sit down at the end of the day and scan receipts. With QuickBooks Online, you can snap a photo of a receipt on your phone and it uploads automatically. I match it to the transaction and categorize it. Between that and your bank feeds, we capture everything without adding to your workload.
CRA-Ready Records Year-Round
When tax season comes, your accountant gets a clean set of books with everything organized. Vehicle expenses are separated with proper business-use percentages. Capital assets are tracked with depreciation schedules. Subcontractor payments are documented. No last-minute scramble, no shoebox of receipts.
Monthly Reports That Actually Help
Every month you get a Profit & Loss statement that shows where your money is coming from and where it is going. Over time, you start to see patterns. Maybe service calls are more profitable than new construction, or maybe material costs are creeping up on certain types of jobs. These insights help you make better business decisions.
Straight Talk
Why Trades Businesses Need a Bookkeeper
I have seen too many trades businesses that are making good money but have no idea where it is going. The job brings in $15,000 but after materials, the helper, gas, and the dump run, the actual profit is a mystery. That is not a business. That is a guessing game.
The trades are also one of the industries where CRA pays close attention. Vehicle expenses, cash transactions, subcontractor arrangements. These are all areas where mistakes can trigger an audit. Having clean, well-organized books is not just about knowing your numbers. It is about protecting yourself.
You are skilled at what you do. Let me be skilled at what I do. Your books will be accurate, your reports will be on time, and when your accountant asks for something, it will be ready.
Pricing
Packages Start at $250/Month
Trades bookkeeping uses the same Starter and Growth packages as our monthly bookkeeping service, with the added benefit of trades-specific setup: job costing, vehicle tracking, and subcontractor management configured from day one.
Add payroll and HST filing for a complete financial package.
Ready to Get Your Books in Order?
Book a free 30-minute consultation. Tell me about your business, your current bookkeeping situation, and what you need. I will put together a plan and a fixed quote. No obligation, no pressure.
Book Your Free Consultation