Construction & CIS Accounting

Revenue isn't a fact — it's an estimate

Construction accounting is the hardest of the three.

Stage of completion, retentions held both ways, applications that don't match certifications, and a CIS regime that penalises administrative slips. A contractor with strong contracts can still show a distorted profit for two years running purely because WIP is being carried wrong.

What we handle

Every part of the contract, tracked properly

WIP and stage of completionCosts to date against total expected cost, revenue recognised on a consistent basis and reviewed each period.
RetentionsReceivable and payable tracked by contract, with due dates flagged so they're actually collected.
CISSubcontractor verification, deduction at the correct rate, monthly CIS300 returns and payment and deduction statements.
VAT domestic reverse chargeApplied correctly across the supply chain, both as contractor and subcontractor.
Applications vs certified valueThe gap tracked and reported rather than discovered at year-end.
Contract-level profitabilityMargin by contract, updated monthly, with early warning where costs are running ahead of the programme.
Plant hire and equipment costingInternal and external hire allocated to contracts.
Variations and claimsTracked separately from base contract value.
Materials on siteUninstalled materials treatment applied consistently.

The number that matters

Cost to complete. Everything about a contractor's reported profit rests on that estimate, and it's the number most often left stale.

FAQ

Frequently asked

Do you handle CIS returns?

Yes, monthly, including verification.

Can you report per contract?

Contract-level P&L is standard.

We're a subcontractor, not a main contractor.

Both work — the reverse charge and retention position simply run the other way.

Accounting for civil construction.

Construction accounting is the hardest of the three.

Every part of the contract, tracked properly

Frequently asked

Send us one contract's numbers.