Remodeling & interiors
Books and taxes for blinds, shutters, and window treatment companies.
A measure visit, a custom order sent to the manufacturer, a vendor co-op rebate that shows up separately, and a quick install once the shutters arrive. Gus sorts every dollar to the job it came from, an accountant checks every transaction, and you get one number a month.
- From $197 a month
- An accountant on every transaction
- Cancel whenever
March came in at $15,000. The Hunter Douglas co-op rebate from last quarter's volume landed this month, so I booked it apart from regular sales.
- Deposit, Feldman shutter jobDeposits
- Vendor co-op rebateManufacturer rebates
- Hunter Douglas orderManufacturer orders
- Motorization hardwareMotorized shade components
- Install crewInstall labor
Why your books are different
Window treatment books go wrong between the measure visit and the delivery truck.
A generalist sees a deposit and a bill. Your business measures a home, orders custom shutters or shades from a manufacturer, waits weeks for them to ship, and sometimes gets a rebate check from the vendor months later. When the books do not track all of that, your real margin on a job stays a mystery.
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1
A deposit lands weeks before the manufacturer order even ships
You collect a deposit at the measure visit, place the custom order, and wait several weeks for shutters or motorized shades to arrive before install. Booked without tying it to the job, the deposit can read as a strong month that the manufacturer bill later wipes out.
What we doTies the deposit to its job, so the gap between the measure visit and delivery does not distort either month. -
2
Vendor rebates and co-op credits look like random deposits
Manufacturers like Hunter Douglas often pay volume rebates or co-op marketing credits on a schedule that has nothing to do with any specific job, and if that money is not labeled, it looks like an unexplained deposit instead of what it actually is.
What we doBooks manufacturer rebates and co-op credits in their own category, so you can see what the vendor relationship is actually worth. -
3
Motorized shade components inflate one job's cost without context
Motorization hardware and smart home integration cost far more than manual hardware, and if every job's materials are tracked the same way, a month heavy on motorized orders can look like costs got out of control when it is really a shift in product mix.
What we doKeeps motorized components in their own line, so a shift toward higher-ticket products shows up as exactly that. -
4
Commercial office contracts get mixed in with residential jobs
Blinds sold to an office or property manager run at different volume and pricing than a homeowner's living room, and if both land in the same revenue line, you cannot see which side of the business is actually more profitable.
What we doKeeps commercial contracts separate from residential jobs, so each side's real numbers are visible.
Your categories
The categories Gus keeps for a window treatment business.
Set up once for how your jobs get paid and what they cost. You never pick a category. He does, and an accountant checks it.
Money in
- DepositsCollected at the measure visit, before the manufacturer order goes out.
- Install completion paymentsThe balance collected once products arrive and get installed.
- Commercial contractsOffice and property manager jobs, tracked apart from residential work.
- Manufacturer rebatesVolume rebates and co-op marketing credits, booked on their own.
Money out
- Manufacturer ordersCustom blinds, shutters, and shades ordered from the vendor, tied to the job.
- Motorized shade componentsMotors, hubs, and smart home hardware, kept apart from manual hardware.
- Install laborCrew wages for install day, kept apart from material cost.
- Showroom expensesSample books, display units, and showroom upkeep.
- Truck and fuelThe vehicle that hauls products between the warehouse and install day.
What we watch for you
- Job margin
What each job actually cleared once manufacturer cost and install labor are both counted.
- Measure-to-install lag
How long it typically takes from deposit to install, so cash flow timing is not a surprise.
- Motorized product share
How much of your sales mix is shifting toward higher-ticket motorized options.
- Rebate income
What vendor co-op and volume rebates are actually adding to the year, tracked apart from sales.
Ask Gus
Things window treatment owners ask Gus.
Text him like you would text anybody. He answers in plain English, and when a question is above his pay grade, an accountant looks and gets back to you.
I booked it as a manufacturer rebate, separate from your regular sales, so you can see exactly what the vendor relationship added this quarter.
No, I tied the deposit to that job, so once the order arrives and installs, you will see the full picture together instead of two disconnected months.
If you paid them $2,000 or more this year and they are not on payroll, yes, by January 31. I have been keeping that list all year so it is ready.
The tax side
The tax side of a window treatment business.
Most of what trips up this business is labeling vendor money correctly and knowing who works for you.
What your return has to get right
Your accountant signs it, so it gets done right the first time.
- Install crew 1099sAnyone not on payroll who you paid $2,000 or more in 2026, like an install crew for bigger jobs, gets a 1099-NEC by January 31. Gus keeps the list as the year goes.
- Employee or subcontractorAn installer who works your schedule and uses your tools usually looks like an employee, not a sub, no matter what the invoice says. Getting this wrong gets expensive, so Gus flags it before it becomes a habit.
- Vendor rebates and co-op creditsManufacturer rebates and marketing credits are income and need to be reported as such, even when they do not tie to a specific sale. Gus keeps them labeled so nothing gets missed.
- The pass-through deductionMost owner-operators can take up to 20 percent of business profit off their taxable income. It comes out right only when the books track deposits and manufacturer costs correctly all year.
Deductions blinds, shutters, and window treatment companies miss
Your bookkeeper knows what to look for in your statements. You never have to.
- Sample books and display units
- Measure tools
- Showroom rent and upkeep
- Truck fuel and repairs
- Liability insurance
- Small tool replacement
- Continuing education and certifications
- Branded uniforms
- Phone and tablet for scheduling
- Mileage to measure visits and installs
- Discontinued fabric and remnant stock
General information about 2026 federal rules, not advice for your business. Your accountant looks at your actual numbers before anything gets filed.
All year, not just April
A window treatment year, kept every month.
Manufacturer lead times and rebate schedules run on their own clock. Gus keeps taxes on a separate, steadier one. Every month in between, your bookkeeper closes the books and speaks up the moment something looks off.
- January
Plan the year
Last year's return gets started, the install crew 1099 list is ready, and you get a monthly set-aside so April is already handled.
- April
Filed. Done.
Your return is filed and signed. No surprise bill, since the set-aside has been running since January.
- July
Halfway check
Where you stand, what you will owe, and whether motorized product sales are shifting your margin.
- October
Before year-end
Gus looks at any showroom or equipment purchase worth making before December and where the year is landing.
What you get
What you pay depends on what your business needs, and it does not move after that, busy season or slow. No hourly bills, no surprise invoices, no setup fee.
Book a call- Monthly bookkeeping
Every transaction sorted into categories set up for blinds, shutters, and window treatment companies. You never categorize a thing.
- An accountant checks every transaction
Real review, every month, before your books close. Not a spot check.
- Your business tax return, filed
Prepared, reviewed, and signed by that same accountant every year.
- The monthly number
What you made, what you spent, what to set aside for taxes.
- Your own bookkeeper
A real person assigned to your business, in the app whenever you need them. No hold music.
- On your books all year
Every month, not just in April. Your team speaks up whenever something is worth your attention.
- Cancel any time
No contract. No cancellation call. Your books are yours.
Straight answers
Questions window treatment owners ask first.
Can Gus track vendor rebates and co-op credits separately from sales?
Yes. Manufacturer rebates get their own category, so you can see what a vendor relationship is actually worth apart from regular job income.
My deposit and install often land in different months because of manufacturing lead time. Does that mess up my books?
No. Gus ties the deposit to the job it belongs to, so the gap between the measure visit and install does not distort either month.
Do motorized shades need to be tracked differently from manual blinds?
It helps a lot. Gus keeps motorized components in their own line, so a shift toward higher-ticket products shows up clearly instead of looking like a cost spike.
I sell to both offices and homeowners. Can Gus keep those separate?
Yes. Commercial contracts and residential jobs get their own categories, so you can see which side of the business is actually more profitable.
My books are a few months behind. Is that a problem?
No. Send the bank statements you have. Gus sorts them, the accountant checks them, and most owners know where they stand within a week.
Do I write off measure tools or showroom displays all at once?
Often you can. Equipment bought for the business can usually be deducted the year you buy it, and sometimes spreading it out is the better call. Gus flags the purchase and the accountant decides with your whole year in view.
Is a real accountant checking my books?
Yes. You get your own bookkeeper, Gus does the first pass on every transaction, and an accountant checks every one before your month closes. That same accountant prepares, signs, and files your business return. Goatkeeper is not a CPA firm, and we never pretend a person looked when they did not.
What does it cost, and can I cancel?
It starts at $197 a month, depending on what your business needs. No setup fee, no hourly bills, no contract. Cancel any time from the app, and your books go with you.
More in remodeling & interiors
We keep books for the business next door too.
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- Kitchen remodelers
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- Outdoor audio & TV installers
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- Putting green installers
What makes a bookkeeper worth paying for Every business we keep books for
Book a call
Pick a time. That's the whole signup.
Fifteen minutes with a real person on our team. They look at where your books are, tell you straight what it takes to get caught up, and get you set up on the spot if it fits.
- $197 a month to start
- An accountant on every transaction
- Cancel whenever