Specialty subcontractors

Books and taxes for commercial kitchen equipment installers.

Progress billing, labor-only hookups, full equipment packages, and rush shipping to hit a restaurant's opening date. Gus sorts all of it, an accountant checks every transaction, and you get one number a month.

Book a call What we handle
  • From $197 a month
  • An accountant on every transaction
  • Cancel whenever
SeptemberExample month
$14,000
what you made

September came in at $14,000. The overnight shipping cost to hit the restaurant's opening date got flagged against that job, so it did not blend into a normal month of shipping costs.

  • GC pay app #4 payoutProgress billing
  • Hobart equipment orderEquipment purchases
  • Gas hookup materialsGas, electrical, and plumbing hookups
  • Rigging cart rentalRigging and equipment moving
  • Fleet fuel, service trucksTrucks and fuel
Money in$63,000
Money out$49,000
Set aside for taxes$3,200
An example month. Yours will have your numbers.

Why your books are different

A kitchen equipment installer's books go wrong in a few specific spots.

A generalist sees deposits and bills. Your business is progress billing, jobs where you only install versus jobs where you supply the equipment too, and deadlines tied to a restaurant's opening day. Blend those together and you lose sight of which kind of work actually pays.

  1. 1

    Labor-only jobs and full equipment packages blur together

    Installing a hood system a restaurant already bought looks nothing like selling and installing a full kitchen package, but lumped into one revenue line, you cannot tell which kind of job actually pays you better.

    What we doKeeps labor-only installation billing separate from equipment-plus-install packages.
  2. 2

    A walk-in cooler purchase looks like a bad month

    Buying a full kitchen package, hoods, ranges, and a walk-in cooler for one restaurant build-out, can cost more than several months of labor-only jobs combined.

    What we doTies large equipment purchases to the specific job, so a big buy does not distort a normal month.
  3. 3

    Rush fees to hit an opening date disappear into general costs

    A restaurant's opening deadline sometimes means paying for expedited shipping or overtime to avoid contract penalties, and that rush cost is easy to lose track of once the job is done.

    What we doFlags rush and expedite costs against the job that needed them.
  4. 4

    Retainage on kitchen build-out packages disappears

    A general contractor holds back 10 percent on a restaurant kitchen package and does not release it until closeout, sometimes months after the doors open.

    What we doKeeps retainage on its own line by job, so you can see what is still owed and roughly when it should land.
  5. 5

    Warranty calls blend into paying installation work

    A callback to fix a hood that a restaurant says was installed wrong costs labor with little or no matching revenue, and buried into regular installation billing it makes paying jobs look less profitable than they are.

    What we doSorts that callback labor into its own bucket, so a free fix never gets counted as part of what a paying install actually earned.

Your categories

The categories Gus keeps for a kitchen equipment installer.

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

  • Progress billingGeneral contractor pay applications on kitchen build-out packages.
  • Labor-only installationHookup and install work when the restaurant or GC supplies the equipment.
  • Equipment and installation packagesDesign-build jobs where you supply the equipment too.
  • Retainage releasesHeld-back money on install jobs, paid out at closeout.
  • Warranty and service callsCallbacks and repairs on equipment already installed.

Money out

  • Field crew wagesInstallers, including certified payroll on public jobs.
  • Equipment purchasesOrders for design-build packages where you supply the equipment.
  • Gas, electrical, and plumbing hookupsFittings and materials for tying equipment into building systems.
  • Rigging and equipment movingSpecial handling for heavy kitchen equipment.
  • Trucks and fuelService trucks running between jobs.
  • Bonding and insurancePerformance bonds and liability coverage for larger jobs.
  • Permits and inspection feesHealth department and building inspection coordination costs.

What we watch for you

  • Job margin

    What each job actually made after equipment, hookups, and labor.

  • Labor-only vs package margin

    How labor-only jobs compare to equipment-plus-install packages.

  • Retainage owed

    Money general contractors are holding on install jobs right now.

  • The set-aside

    What you will owe, tracked every month, so April is a number you already knew.

Ask Gus

Things kitchen equipment installers 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.

We had to pay for overnight shipping on a range to make the opening date. Does that just get lost in the numbers?

No. I flagged it against that job, so the rush cost is visible instead of blending into a normal month of shipping costs.

This job was just installing equipment the restaurant already bought. Does that count the same as when we sell the whole package?

I keep those separate. Labor-only jobs and full equipment packages behave very differently, so you can see which kind is actually worth chasing.

We went back to fix a hood a restaurant said was installed wrong, at no charge. Does that hurt our numbers?

I sorted that hour into its own callback bucket, separate from paid installs, so it does not quietly count against a job that actually earned you money.

The tax side

The tax side of a kitchen equipment installation business.

Most of what goes wrong here is labels and timing. Equipment packages mixed with labor-only jobs, rush fees buried in shipping, and a set-aside nobody started until April.

What your return has to get right

Your accountant signs it, so it gets done right the first time.

  • Equipment write-offsRigging equipment and service trucks can often be written off the year you buy them, with bonus depreciation at 100 percent for property acquired after January 19, 2025. Heavier trucks carry a separate cap.
  • Sub-subcontractor 1099sAny outside installer or rigging crew not on payroll who you paid $2,000 or more in 2026 gets a 1099-NEC by January 31. Gus keeps the list all year.
  • Employee or contractorAn installer who works your schedule, uses your tools, and takes direction from you is usually an employee. Getting that wrong gets expensive, so Gus asks 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 the books are right all year.

Deductions commercial kitchen equipment installers miss

Your bookkeeper knows what to look for in your statements. You never have to.

  • Hand tools and rigging straps
  • Gas line testing equipment
  • Safety gear and PPE
  • Trade license renewal
  • Continuing education
  • Bonding premiums
  • Liability insurance
  • Truck fuel and repairs
  • Permit and inspection fees
  • Job costing software
  • Uniforms with your logo
  • Rigging equipment rental

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 kitchen equipment installer's year, kept every month.

Restaurant opening deadlines, equipment buys, and tax season each run on their own clock. Your team keeps you ahead of all three. Every month in between, your bookkeeper closes the books and speaks up the moment something looks off.

  1. January

    Plan the year

    Last year's return gets started and the 1099 list for outside crews is ready. Bidding is picking up, so your monthly set-aside gets planned before spring build-outs mobilize.

  2. April

    Filed. Done.

    Your return is filed and signed while spring restaurant build-outs get underway. No surprise bill, since the set-aside has been building since January.

  3. July

    Halfway check

    Where you stand, what you will owe, and whether a big equipment package changed the number.

  4. October

    Before the holiday opening rush

    Many restaurants aim to open before the holidays. Gus looks at equipment worth buying and anything else worth doing before the year ends.

What you get

Starts at$197a month

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 commercial kitchen equipment installers. 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 kitchen equipment installers ask first.

Can Gus tell labor-only jobs apart from equipment-plus-install packages?

Yes. Labor-only installation billing sits in a separate category from design-build packages, so you can see which kind of job is actually worth chasing.

We paid rush shipping to hit an opening date. Does that get tracked?

Yes. Rush and expedite costs are flagged against the job that needed them, so they show up as a real cost of that job instead of blending into normal shipping expenses.

Do I write off shop tools or a rigging cart all at once?

Often you can. Equipment bought for the business can usually be deducted in the year you buy it, and sometimes spreading it out is the better call. Gus flags the purchase and the accountant decides.

We went back on a warranty call for free. Does that hurt our numbers?

No. That callback labor gets sorted into its own bucket, separate from paid installs, so a free fix never quietly counts against a job that actually made you money.

Our books are behind after a big restaurant build-out. Is that fixable?

Yes. Send the bank statements you have. Gus sorts them, the accountant checks them, and most owners know exactly where they stand inside a week.

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 specialty subcontractors

We keep books for the business next door too.

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