Skilled Trades
Monthly bookkeeping for electricians, plumbers, HVAC technicians, and welders who need accurate numbers without spending evenings on paperwork.
The Industry
A licensed plumber finishes a repipe job on a Saturday. Parts ran $1,200. The work took two full days with a helper. The customer paid $4,800. On the surface that looks solid. But the two trips to the supply house ate an hour and a half. The helper’s labor was $600. Permit fees added another $180. And the truck payment, insurance, and gas aren’t free. When all the real costs get added up, the margin is a lot thinner than it felt when the check came in. That is how most jobs go in the trades. The work gets done well, but the true cost of doing it stays fuzzy.
Electricians, plumbers, HVAC technicians, and welders share a common financial pattern. You buy materials before the job starts, perform the work, and then wait to collect. Some days you run three quick service calls. Other weeks you’re deep into a multi-day install. These two types of work have completely different financial profiles, but they all flow through the same bank account. Without organized books, it is nearly impossible to tell what is actually profitable and what just feels busy.
Who This Covers
Who This Covers
Licensed electricians, plumbers, HVAC installers and repair technicians, welders, and similar skilled trade professionals in Long Beach, the South Bay, and Greater LA. Whether you are a one-person operation or running a small crew, the financial challenges are similar.
What Makes It Difficult
What Makes It Difficult
Material costs fluctuate and hit your accounts before the job even starts. Service calls and larger projects behave like two different businesses under one roof. Subcontractors need 1099s. Vehicle and tool expenses add up fast. And you are too busy doing the actual work to sit down and sort through receipts at the end of the month.
What We Handle
We keep your books current in QuickBooks Online so you always know where the business stands financially. Every transaction gets categorized to the right account. Bank and credit card accounts get reconciled monthly. Your profit and loss statement reflects what actually happened, not a rough guess from memory. When vendor bills come in from supply houses, we make sure they get recorded and tracked so nothing gets lost in the shuffle.
Invoicing matters in the trades because delayed billing means delayed payment. We handle accounts receivable so invoices go out on time and you can see at a glance what customers still owe. At year end, payments to subcontractors get documented with proper 1099 forms. The goal is to keep the financial side of your business running on a steady rhythm so it does not depend on your evenings and weekends to stay organized.
Bookkeeping and Reconciliation
Bookkeeping and Reconciliation
Monthly bookkeeping in QuickBooks Online with every transaction categorized to the correct account. Bank and credit card reconciliation to catch errors and confirm that deposits match completed work. Clean profit and loss statements and balance sheets ready for your review or your tax preparer at any point during the year.
Invoicing and Vendor Management
Invoicing and Vendor Management
Invoices created and sent after jobs are completed so you are not chasing payments weeks later. Payment tracking so you know who has paid and who still owes. Vendor bills from suppliers recorded and managed through accounts payable. 1099 preparation for subcontractors at year end so you stay compliant without scrambling in January.
What Goes Wrong
The most common problem is falling behind. You planned to update the books last month, but three emergency calls came in and the weekend disappeared into a big install. Now it has been four months. Receipts are piled up somewhere between the truck console and the kitchen counter. Bank statements have not been reviewed. You have no real idea whether the business made money last quarter or just stayed busy. And the longer you wait, the harder and more expensive the catch-up becomes.
The second problem is what happens at tax time when the books are a mess. Tool purchases, vehicle expenses, licensing fees, insurance premiums, and continuing education all qualify as deductions. But when they are not tracked consistently throughout the year, they get missed or lumped together incorrectly. You end up paying more in taxes than you should, or worse, you get hit with a bill you did not see coming because nobody was keeping score along the way.
No Visibility Into Cash Flow
No Visibility Into Cash Flow
When the books are months behind, you cannot see what is coming in or going out with any accuracy. Invoices go out late. Customer balances slip past 60 days without anyone following up. You check the bank balance to decide whether you can afford a new tool or hire help, which is not the same as actually understanding your financial position.
Subcontractor Paperwork Gets Ignored
Subcontractor Paperwork Gets Ignored
You paid a helper or sub $8,000 over the course of the year but never collected a W-9. Now it is January and you need to file 1099s. Tracking down that information after the fact is frustrating and time-consuming. If it does not get done, you risk penalties and lose the ability to deduct those payments properly on your return.
What Changes
Your books stay current every single month. You can look at your profit and loss statement and know how the business is actually performing without guessing. When a customer asks about an invoice or a vendor questions a payment, you have the answer right away. The financial side of the business stops being something you avoid and starts being a tool you can use to make real decisions about pricing, hiring, and growth.
Tax preparation becomes straightforward. Your tax preparer receives organized, accurate records with deductions accounted for throughout the year. There are no surprises in April. The hours you used to spend sorting receipts, chasing invoices, and worrying about the state of your books go back to billable work or time with your family. You get to run the business with the same precision and consistency you bring to the trade itself.
Decisions Grounded in Real Numbers
Decisions Grounded in Real Numbers
You can see which months are strongest and plan equipment purchases around actual cash flow. You know whether adding a crew member makes financial sense. When it is time to raise rates, you have the data to back it up instead of relying on a gut feeling. The numbers become something you use, not something you avoid.
Your Time Goes Back to the Work
Your Time Goes Back to the Work
Bookkeeping runs on a consistent monthly schedule without depending on your weekends. Invoices go out promptly. Vendor bills get tracked. Year-end paperwork is handled. The hours you were spending on financial paperwork go back to billable jobs or to the parts of your life that matter outside of work.
Long Beach's Trusted Bookkeeping Partner
The Next Step:
A Quick Discovery Call
Tell us where things stand with your books. We'll listen, ask a few questions, and give you a clear quote to get it handled.
