Whether you’re a construction company, contractor, or subcontractor, bookkeeping is incredibly important for companies in the construction industry.
Plumbing companies are no exception – in fact, they should be especially concerned when it comes to bookkeeping because of the vast differences in inventories, wages, and other incomes and expenses.
That’s why we want to highlight some of the top accounting tips for plumbing companies, and how a bookkeeper can help.
In this article, we’re going to specifically highlight the importance of bookkeeping for plumbers. This is going to include some of the top bookkeeping and tax accounting tips, as well as the top considerations and benefits for hiring an external bookkeeper.
We’re going to be highlighting several top tips and lists for plumbing companies including the top tips on bookkeeping tips, tax accounting tips, industry-specific accounting needs, and the top considerations when hiring a bookkeeper.
Importance of Bookkeeping for Plumbers
We first, however, want to start by discussing the importance of bookkeeping for plumbers and plumbing companies.
Bookkeeping is a vital component for plumbing contractors and plumbing companies in British Columbia.
Keeping accurate records of financial transactions helps to ensure that a business can operate efficiently and effectively, while also enabling it to make informed decisions that can contribute to long-term success.
One of the key benefits of bookkeeping is that it allows plumbing contractors and plumbing companies to track their income and expenses.
This information can be used to identify areas where costs can be reduced, or revenue can be increased, helping to improve profitability. Additionally, accurate bookkeeping enables businesses to comply with taxation laws and regulations, avoiding penalties and legal issues.
Another advantage of bookkeeping is that it can help businesses to plan for the future. By analyzing financial data, plumbing contractors and companies can identify trends and make informed decisions about budgeting and forecasting.
This can help to mitigate risks and seize opportunities, positioning the business for growth and success.
Moreover, bookkeeping enables plumbing contractors and companies to monitor their cash flow, ensuring that there is enough money available to meet expenses, pay bills, and invest in growth opportunities.
This is particularly important for small and medium-sized businesses, which may have limited resources and may struggle to access financing.
In conclusion, bookkeeping is essential for plumbing contractors and companies in British Columbia. It provides a foundation for effective financial management, enables informed decision-making, and can help to ensure long-term success and sustainability.
By investing in accurate and reliable bookkeeping practices, businesses can gain a competitive advantage, and thrive in a dynamic and ever-changing market.
Unique Accounting Considerations for Plumbers
Above, we’ve highlighted the overall importance of bookkeeping and accounting. Before we dive into the top bookkeeping and tax accounting practices, we want to highlight the more industry and profession-specific considerations.
The top 7 considerations for plumbing companies and plumbers include:
- Job costing: Plumbing companies often work on projects that have varying degrees of complexity and costs. It is important to track costs associated with each job, such as labor, materials, and equipment. This helps to ensure that projects are profitable and that pricing is accurate.
- Inventory management: Plumbing companies often carry inventory, such as pipes, fittings, and valves. It is important to track inventory levels to avoid stock shortages or overstocking, which can tie up cash flow.
- Payroll management: Plumbing companies often have a mix of full-time, part-time, and subcontracted employees. It is important to accurately track employee time and wages, and to ensure that payroll taxes are paid on time.
- Warranty and service contracts: Plumbing companies may offer warranty or service contracts to customers. It is important to track the costs associated with these contracts, including labor and materials, and to ensure that revenue recognition is accurate.
- Vehicle expenses: Plumbing companies often use vehicles for transportation of equipment and employees. It is important to track expenses associated with vehicles, such as fuel, maintenance, and repairs, to ensure that costs are accurately allocated to jobs.
- Sales tax: Plumbing companies may be required to collect sales tax on certain products or services. It is important to understand the sales tax regulations in British Columbia and to ensure that taxes are collected and remitted correctly.
- Business structure: Plumbing companies may operate as sole proprietors, partnerships, or corporations. It is important to understand the tax implications of each business structure and to choose the one that is most advantageous.
It is important to keep these considerations in mind when understanding the top bookkeeping and tax accounting tips, below.
Top General Bookkeeping Tips for Plumbing Businesses
Understand just why bookkeeping is so important is step one for plumbing companies and contractors. However, now we want to highlight the top 10 bookkeeping tips for plumbers and plumbing companies.
- Keep accurate records: Ensure that all financial transactions are recorded accurately, and that records are up to date. This includes invoices, receipts, and payments.
- Separate business and personal expenses: It is important to keep business and personal expenses separate to avoid confusion and to simplify bookkeeping.
- Use accounting software: Invest in accounting software to streamline financial management and simplify bookkeeping tasks. This can save time and reduce the risk of errors.
- Monitor cash flow: Keep track of cash inflows and outflows to ensure that there is enough money to meet expenses and to invest in growth opportunities.
- Budget and forecast: Develop a budget and forecast to plan for the future and to identify areas where costs can be reduced or revenue can be increased.
- Invoice promptly: Send out invoices promptly to ensure that payments are received in a timely manner, and to avoid delays in cash flow.
- Set payment terms: Establish payment terms with clients and suppliers to ensure that payments are received on time and to avoid cash flow problems.
- Monitor expenses: Keep track of expenses to identify areas where costs can be reduced, and to ensure that expenses are within budget.
- Review financial statements: Regularly review financial statements to identify trends and to make informed decisions about financial management.
- Seek professional advice: Consult with an accountant or bookkeeper to ensure that financial management practices are effective, compliant with regulations, and optimized for long-term success.
In summary, effective accounting and bookkeeping practices are essential for the success of plumbing contractors and plumbing companies in British Columbia.
By keeping accurate records, monitoring cash flow, budgeting and forecasting, and seeking professional advice, businesses can position themselves for long-term growth and success.
Top Tax Accounting Tips for Plumbers
Understanding bookkeeping tips and best practices is one aspect of effective accounting practices.
However, it’s the other critical aspect of bookkeeping and accounting for plumbing companies is tax accounting.
So, we have another list for you to talk about the top few tax accounting tips for plumbing companies.
- Keep accurate records.
Keeping accurate and up-to-date financial records is crucial for tax accounting. It is important to track all income and expenses, and to maintain supporting documentation such as receipts and invoices.
- Deduct eligible expenses.
Plumbing companies can deduct a wide range of business expenses from their taxable income, including equipment purchases, vehicle expenses, office supplies, and employee salaries. It is important to consult with a tax professional to ensure that all eligible expenses are claimed.
- Understand tax obligation.
Plumbing companies must understand their tax obligations, including corporate income tax, payroll taxes, and sales tax. It is important to understand the deadlines for tax filings and payments and to ensure compliance with tax regulations.
- Consider tax-saving strategies.
Plumbing companies can take advantage of tax-saving strategies such as deferring income, maximizing deductions, and using tax credits. It is important to consult with a tax professional to determine which strategies are most beneficial for the business.
- Seek professional advice.
Tax laws and regulations can be complex and constantly changing. It is important to seek professional advice from a tax accountant or bookkeeper to ensure that tax accounting practices are effective, compliant, and optimized for long-term success.
Carefully tracking these tax accounting tips make sure that you are on top of them and that you don’t run into any issues come tax time.
Benefits of Outsourcing Bookkeeping Companies
The various lists above highlight the fact that bookkeeping and tax accounting is a complex process for many businesses – let alone given the nuances and considerations of the plumbing industry.
So, we want to highlight some of the benefits of outsourcing bookkeeping and accounting for plumbing companies and contractors (like we mention in #5 in the previous list).
In any case, here’s the top reasons that we’ve come up with as to why outsourcing to a professional bookkeeper is a great choice for plumbing companies.
- Save time: Accounting and bookkeeping can be time-consuming tasks, and outsourcing these functions can free up time for plumbers and plumbing company owners to focus on their core business activities.
- Increase accuracy: Professional accountants and bookkeepers have the expertise and experience to ensure that accounting and bookkeeping tasks are completed accurately and in compliance with accounting standards and regulations.
- Improve financial reporting: Outsourcing accounting and bookkeeping functions can provide access to more sophisticated financial reporting tools and software, which can provide valuable insights into the financial health of the business.
- Ensure compliance: Professional accountants and bookkeepers stay up-to-date with changes in accounting and tax regulations, which helps to ensure compliance and avoid penalties.
- Reduce costs: Outsourcing accounting and bookkeeping functions can be more cost-effective than hiring a full-time in-house accountant or bookkeeper, as it eliminates the need for salary and benefits costs.
- Increase scalability: Outsourcing accounting and bookkeeping functions can provide scalability for growing plumbing companies, as it allows them to scale their accounting and bookkeeping needs up or down based on their business needs.
- Increase strategic focus: By outsourcing accounting and bookkeeping functions, plumbers and plumbing company owners can focus on strategic planning and decision-making, rather than getting bogged down in day-to-day accounting tasks.
In summary, outsourcing accounting and bookkeeping functions to professional accountants and bookkeepers can provide many benefits for plumbers and plumbing companies, including saving time, increasing accuracy, improving financial reporting, ensuring compliance, reducing costs, increasing scalability, and increasing strategic focus.
Top tips to consider when hiring a bookkeeper
The last list that we want to provide you with are the top tips when choosing a bookkeeper for your plumbing business.
Obviously, the previous list demonstrates that, given the complexity of bookkeeping and accounting in this industry, a professional accountant or bookkeeper. However, it’s important that you choose the right bookkeeping firm for your business or plumbing practice.
The first thing that we recommend you look for is that the bookkeeping firm you’re hiring has relevant industry expertise.
That is, you might be able to hire an affordable accountant, or general services bookkeeper; however, if these professionals don’t have knowledge of the plumbing and construction industry, and do not take into account the unique needs of the plumbing industry – then you’re better off finding another partner.
Second, you want to make sure that you’re working with a bookkeeper that doesn’t rely on antiquated, pen and paper practices.
That is, you want to make sure that your bookkeeper is familiar and comfortable with using and relying on technology, while still being able to translate the results for you – the business owner.
The reason for this is that the plumbing industry has many unique needs (as we’ve thoroughly discussed). For this reason, it’s best to use accounting software to keep up to date on tax reporting, inventory management, payroll, and other accounting principles.
Next, you want to make sure that your bookkeeping and accounting partner has specific expertise in payroll services for contractors, subcontractors, and different types of business structures, as these vary widely within the industry.
Finally, you want to make sure that you align with an accounting and bookkeeping company or professional that aligns with your values, and can grow with the business.
Hiring someone who does bookkeeping on the side might be great for your wallet and revenues, but it manes that you’re going to have a tough time scaling with them – when they only invest part time into your business.
So, the best option for your plumbing business is to spend more money on an accounting and bookkeeping firm today, so that you’re more easily scale and grow your business tomorrow.
At Valley Business Centre – Bookkeeping & Payroll, we understand and have experience with niche industries like the plumbing and construction industry. We know what it takes to succeed in this market, and what accounting and bookkeeping needs should be fulfilled in order for you to succeed.
For over 30 years, Valley Business Centre – Bookkeeping & Payroll has been providing comprehensive bookkeeping, tax, and remote bookkeeping services to our clients in Whistler, Squamish, the Sea to Sky Corridor and metro Vancouver B.C. areas. Valley Business Centre provides reliable and effective services to all clients.
Disclaimer
This article is written for informational purposes only. It is current at the date of posting and changes to laws and regulation may result in the information becoming outdated. It is not intended to provide legal, tax, or financial advice. It is recommended that readers get advice from a tax professional before making any final decisions.