Roofing & exterior
Books and taxes for cedar shake roofing specialists.
Cedar shakes and shingles ordered from a specialty mill, fire-treatment requirements that add cost in some areas, rustic and high-end homes, and a roof that needs more upkeep than asphalt. Gus tracks it all by job, an accountant checks every transaction, and you get one number a month.
- From $197 a month
- An accountant on every transaction
- Cancel whenever
September cleared $25,700. The Fir Ridge job needed fire-treated shakes for the county code, so I kept that upcharge in its own line against the job.
- Homeowner final paymentCompleted jobs
- Cabin owner depositDeposits held
- Cedar mill orderCedar materials
- Fire treatment upchargeFire-treated materials
- Specialty crew payoutSubcontracted crews
Why your books are different
Cedar shake books go wrong around fire treatment and maintenance, not day-to-day cash.
A generalist bookkeeper treats a cedar roof like any other. Your material comes from a specialty mill, some jurisdictions require fire-treated shakes that cost more, your customers skew toward rustic or high-end homes, and cedar needs more upkeep calls than asphalt. The books need to reflect all of that.
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1
Fire-treated shakes get lumped in with untreated material
Some counties and wildfire-prone areas require fire-treated cedar, which costs more than standard shakes, and if the two aren't tracked separately, you can't see how much code compliance is adding to a job.
What we doKeeps fire-treated material costs in their own line, separate from standard cedar, so you can see the real cost of code-required jobs. -
2
A mill order for one job looks like a rough month
Cedar shakes and shingles ordered from a specialty mill can be a bigger single cost than the materials for several smaller jobs, making a normal month look like a loss if it isn't tied to the job it's for.
What we doBooks mill orders against the specific job, so a large single order doesn't distort the month it lands in. -
3
Maintenance and upkeep calls disappear into new install revenue
Cedar needs more regular treatment and upkeep than asphalt to prevent moss, splitting, and curling, and if that recurring maintenance work isn't tracked apart from new installs, you can't see how much of your business is repeat maintenance.
What we doKeeps maintenance and treatment calls in their own category, so you can see how much of the business is upkeep versus new roofs. -
4
High-end and rustic home jobs carry different material grades
Premium grade cedar for a high-end custom home costs more than a standard grade for a cabin or rustic property, and if the grades aren't tracked separately, bids on future jobs can be based on the wrong cost.
What we doTracks material grade against each job so pricing on the next bid reflects what that grade of cedar actually costs.
Your categories
The categories Gus keeps for a cedar shake roofing specialist.
Set up once for how you get paid and what you spend. You never pick a category. He does, and an accountant checks it.
Money in
- Completed jobsNew cedar shake and shingle roofs paid by the homeowner.
- Deposits heldMoney collected before mill materials are ordered, held against the specific job.
- Maintenance and treatmentRecurring cleaning and treatment calls, kept apart from new installs.
- Insurance jobsThe smaller share of jobs tied to storm damage claims.
Money out
- Cedar materialsStandard-grade shakes and shingles from a specialty mill.
- Fire-treated materialsThe upcharge for code-required fire-treated cedar.
- Subcontracted crewsSpecialty install crews trained for cedar, kept apart from payroll.
- Trucks and fuelFuel, repairs, and insurance for the fleet.
- Insurance and licensingLiability coverage, workers' comp, and contractor license renewals.
What we watch for you
- Job margin
What each roof actually cleared once cedar, fire treatment, and crew pay are counted.
- Fire-treatment cost
How much code-required treated shakes are adding to jobs in areas that require it.
- Maintenance share
How much of the business is recurring upkeep versus new roof installs.
- The set-aside
What you will owe, tracked every month, so a big season doesn't turn into a surprise bill.
Ask Gus
Things cedar shake 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.
Yes, I kept that upcharge in its own line against the job, so you can see exactly what code compliance added to the cost.
No, I keep maintenance calls in their own category, so you can see how much of the business is upkeep versus new installs, not blended together.
If they're not on payroll and you pay them $2,000 or more this year, yes, by January 31. I'm tracking that as jobs come in.
The tax side
The tax side of a cedar shake roofing business.
Most of what goes wrong here is separating fire-treatment costs and material grades, and telling new installs apart from maintenance work.
What your return has to get right
Your accountant signs it, so it gets done right the first time.
- Trucks and equipmentTrucks and equipment bought for the business can usually be written off the year you buy it. Bonus depreciation is 100 percent for property acquired after January 19, 2025.
- 1099s for specialty crewsAny crew not on payroll who is paid $2,000 or more in 2026 gets a 1099-NEC by January 31.
- Employee or contractorA crew that works only for you, uses your equipment, and follows your schedule usually looks like an employee. Gus flags it before it becomes a habit.
- The pass-through deductionMost owner-operators can take up to 20 percent of business profit off their taxable income. It comes out right when jobs are tracked correctly all year.
Deductions cedar shake roofing specialists miss
Your bookkeeper knows what to look for in your statements. You never have to.
- Cedar shakes and shingles
- Fire-treatment upcharges
- Ladders and roof jacks
- Truck fuel and repairs
- Maintenance and treatment chemicals
- Manufacturer certification classes
- License and bonding fees
- Uniforms with your logo
- Google local services ads
- Phone and tablet for job tracking
- Card processing fees
- Material storage between orders
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 cedar shake roofing year, kept every month.
Mill orders and rustic-home bids drive the calendar, but taxes come on their own schedule. Your team keeps you ahead of both. 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 specialty crew 1099 list is finalized, and the monthly set-aside is planned before spring bids pick up.
- April
Filed. Done.
Your return is filed and signed, with no surprise bill because the set-aside has been running since January.
- July
Halfway check
Where you stand at the peak of the season, and whether fire-treatment costs this year changed what you'll owe.
- October
Before the slowdown
A look at equipment or mill orders bought during the busy months and any moves worth making before winter.
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 cedar shake roofing specialists. 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 cedar shake owners ask first.
How does Gus track fire-treated shakes required by code?
He keeps that upcharge in its own line against the specific job, so you can see exactly what code compliance is adding beyond standard cedar.
I do maintenance and treatment calls between new roofs. Does Gus separate that?
Yes, maintenance work is kept in its own category, so you can see how much of the business is upkeep versus new installs.
Does Gus track different grades of cedar separately?
Yes, material grade is tracked against each job, so pricing on future bids reflects what that grade actually costs, not an average across all your jobs.
How does Gus handle a big mill order for one job?
He books it against that specific job instead of the month it arrived in, so a large single order doesn't make a normal month look like a loss.
My customers are mostly high-end or rustic cabin properties. Does that matter for the books?
It doesn't change how Gus tracks the money, but he does keep material grade and job type visible so you can see how each type of customer performs.
My books are behind from a busy season. Can Gus catch up?
Yes. Send the bank statements you have. Gus sorts them by job as best the records allow, and the accountant checks the result.
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.
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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