The Books
Know what every job made you.
Job costing for electricians and plumbers, with the bookkeeping that keeps it accurate.
The difference
Not just bookkeeping.
| Bookkeeping alone | Trades Vantage |
|---|---|
| What you spent | Which job you spent it on |
| Labour at the wage | Labour at what an hour really costs you |
| Expenses tagged to a job | What you quoted next to what it cost |
| Statements at year-end | A job report every month |
| Change orders on a list somewhere | Every change order tracked, so you know it got billed |
The reports you actually read.
Every month, you get your reports. Job by job.
What you quoted. What it cost. What you kept.
No 40-page statements. No terms you have to look up. Just enough to make your next decision with your eyes open.
What you get every month
Job summary
Every job on one page. What it brought in, what it cost, what you kept.
Job costing report
Each job broken down by phase, with labour and materials for every phase. Compared against your estimate, with change orders included and exactly where you came in over or under.
Monthly financial report
Where your business stands right now. Account balances, bills you owe, and the expenses coming up next.
Job summary (sample)
| Job | Brought in | Cost | Kept |
|---|---|---|---|
| New build rough-in, Lot 14 | $18,400 | $13,900 | +$4,500 |
| Panel upgrade, Main St | $3,200 | $2,050 | +$1,150 |
| Commercial fit-out, Unit 3 | $42,000 | $35,700 | +$6,300 |
| Custom home rough-in, Lot 7 | $21,500 | $23,100 | −$1,600 |
| Service calls (12) | $4,800 | $2,900 | +$1,900 |
| Total | $89,900 | $77,650 | +$12,250 |
Job costing report (sample): Custom home rough-in, Lot 7
Swipe sideways to see every column.
| Part of the job | Labour (est / actual) | Materials (est / actual) | Estimate | Actual | Over / under |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temporary service | $900 / $1,050 | $600 / $650 | $1,500 | $1,700 | +$200 |
| Rough-in | $7,200 / $10,200 | $4,300 / $5,100 | $11,500 | $15,300 | +$3,800 |
| Panel and service | $1,800 / $2,000 | $2,200 / $2,700 | $4,000 | $4,700 | +$700 |
| Change order 1: added pot lights | $600 / $800 | $600 / $600 | $1,200 | $1,400 | +$200 |
| Total | $10,500 / $14,050 | $7,700 / $9,050 | $18,200 | $23,100 | +$4,900 |
Billed (contract $19,800 + change order $1,700)
$21,500
Estimated profit
$3,300
Actual
−$1,600
Rough-in labour ran $3,000 over estimate. That's where this job went sideways.
Sample reports. Numbers are made up. The format is real.
What's included
Everything it takes to keep your numbers straight.
Your monthly reports.
Which jobs made money, which didn't, and why.
Bookkeeping, every month.
Kept current all year, so the job numbers are right.
Cash you can see coming.
What's coming in, what's going out, and when.
We run it.
We set it up and keep it running. You don't have to learn anything new.
Job costing, in plain words.
It's knowing what a specific job made you. Not what the business made overall. Per job.
A 12% labour overrun on a $40,000 job is $4,800. Four jobs like that in a year is $19,200. Gone before you ever see it on paper.
That's the kind of thing job costing catches. Usually the first month.
Same goes for labour. An hour of your crew's time costs you more than the wage. If your quotes don't account for that, you lose money on every hour without knowing it. We show you the real number.
Already doing job costing?
Ask three questions. Does your report show what you quoted next to what the job cost? Is labour at the wage, or at what an hour really costs you? Can you see which change orders got billed? If any answer is no, that's what we fix.
Already have an accountant? Keep them.
We don't do your taxes or your year-end. If you're happy with your accountant, keep them. We keep your books clean all year, so they get better numbers to work with. If you're not happy with your accountant, or don't have one, we'll connect you with an accountant who specializes in the trades and focuses on saving you tax.
What it costs
It depends on the size of your business, how many jobs you run, and what shape your books are in. Once we've had a look, we'll give you a straight number.
Compare it to one job that ran over, not to what a bookkeeper charges.
Want to go further than the books?
See The BuildLet's find where your money's going.
The call, the conversation and the quick check are all free. No obligation until you decide to work with us.