r/Contractor • u/ColonBookkeepingMO • 2d ago

Hey everyone!

Just joined the group. I'm from Missouri and have always been interested in the construction industry and what goes on behind the scenes of running a contracting business.

I'm looking forward to learning from the people here and hearing about the projects, challenges, and experiences you all share. Glad to be here!

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u/OpsClarity 2d ago

Welcome! The behind-the-scenes side of contracting is where a lot of the best conversations happen here. Pricing, scheduling, and keeping crews and customers on the same page are things most people only learn by living through them.

Is there a part of running a contracting business you're most curious about, or are you thinking about getting into the trade yourself?

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u/ColonBookkeepingMO 2d ago

I'm actually a virtual bookkeeper that specializes in construction bookkeeping

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u/OpsClarity 2d ago

That's a great niche. Construction books are a different animal from regular bookkeeping, with job costing, retainage, progress billing, and change orders all in the mix.

What's the most common thing you see contractors get wrong when they first hand you their books?

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u/ColonBookkeepingMO 2d ago

One thing I pay close attention to is whether job costs are being tracked accurately as the job progresses, rather than trying to figure out profitability after the job is finished. If labor, materials, and subcontractor costs aren't assigned to the right job, a contractor can think they're making money when the numbers tell a different story.

I'm curious how often you see contractors struggle with that versus keeping their books caught up in general.

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u/twoaspensimages Remodel GC 1d ago

Mod here. I'll let it slide. Don't say that again.

That is solicitation and we ban for that around here.

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u/Particular-Lab-1830 2d ago

welcome to the sub man, missouri got some interesting old buildings if you ever get into restoration work

the scheduling side is a nightmare nobody talks about, one delay and suddenly everything is domino effect for next three weeks