Construction bookkeeping is not ordinary bookkeeping with a few extra codes. Contractors deal with job costs, estimates, deposits, progress billing, retainage, change orders, subcontractors, and project-level profitability. Small bookkeeping mistakes can quickly distort the true financial picture of a job.

The Construction Bookkeeper is a practical guide for bookkeepers who serve construction contractors or want to build this specialization. It explains how construction transactions work, how to organize costs by project, how to review estimates and billing, and how to communicate clearly with contractor clients.

Inside, you will learn how to:

• Build a reliable job-costing workflow
• Distinguish direct costs, indirect costs, and overhead
• Handle deposits, retainage, progress payments, and change orders
• Compare estimated costs with actual project results
• Recognize common construction-bookkeeping mistakes
• Create a professional process for working with contractors and subcontractors

Whether you are taking on your first construction client or improving an existing bookkeeping service, this guide provides a clear, practical foundation for supporting construction businesses.