Who we work with
Bookkeeping for Pool Builders
A pool is built in phases, paid in phases, and almost entirely subcontracted. Excavation, steel, plumbing, gunite, tile and coping, decking, equipment, plaster: each a sub, each a draw, and a build that can run nine months and cross a year-end. The books have to carry the schedule, not just the total.
Phased draws against phased costs
The payment schedule follows the phases and so should the costing. Your bookkeeper sets up cost codes that match the build sequence, so each draw can be compared with the cost of the phases it covers. A build that has collected through gunite and paid through plumbing is in a very different position from one that has done the reverse, and the WIP line shows which.
Subs, deposits and committed costs
With most of the work subcontracted, committed cost tracking matters more here than in almost any other trade: a signed gunite contract is a cost whether or not the invoice has arrived. Sub deposits paid ahead are prepaid costs, not expenses. W-9s, lien waivers matched to payments and January 1099-NECs are handled as part of the engagement.
Equipment, warranties and the service division
Pumps, heaters and automation carry manufacturer warranties and generate service work long after the build. Many pool builders run a service and maintenance division alongside construction, and the books report it as its own department so the build margin and the service margin are seen separately.
Builds that cross a year-end
A pool started in September and finished in April straddles two tax years. The firm keeps the books so the contract accounting method your tax preparer applies can be applied cleanly, and produces the WIP schedule that method needs.
Send how many builds are open and the phases you draw against. The reply quotes a cost-code setup that matches them.
Pool Builders: common questions
Can cost codes follow the build phases?
Yes, and they should: dig, steel, plumbing, gunite, tile and coping, deck, equipment, plaster, start-up, or your own sequence.
Weekly pool service as well as construction?
A separate department, with recurring billing tracked as it is earned.
Permits and engineering fees?
Job costs, billed back where the contract allows.
What your bookkeeper handles
- Construction Bookkeeping Services
- Contractor Bookkeeping for Trades and Service Companies
- Construction Payroll Services
- Job Costing and WIP Reports for Contractors
- Construction Bookkeeping Cleanup and Catch-Up
Also written for General Contractors, Plumbers, HVAC Companies, Electrical Contractors, Landscapers, Roofers, Painters, Remodelers, Handyman Businesses and Concrete & Excavation.
Request a quote for your pool company
Tell us about the company and the state of the books. Your bookkeeper replies within one business day with a plain answer: what it would take, and what it would cost. Requests answered within one business day · Calls Mon–Fri, 9am–5pm Eastern Or call (888) 720-4009 if you would rather talk it through first.