Security & life safety
Books and taxes for fire safety inspection companies.
Sprinkler system tests, alarm inspections, kitchen hood suppression checks, and the re-inspection fee when a building fails the first pass. Gus sorts all of it, an accountant checks every transaction, and you get one number a month.
- From $197 a month
- An accountant on every transaction
- Cancel whenever
September came in at $10,700. Three buildings needed a paid re-inspection after failing sprinkler tests in August, so I kept those apart from the standard inspection fee.
- Sprinkler inspection, Delmar TowerSprinkler testing fees
- Kitchen hood suppression testHood suppression testing fees
- Re-inspection fee, three sitesRe-inspection fees
- Testing equipment calibrationTesting equipment
- Field technician payrollInspector wages
Why your books are different
Fire inspection books go wrong in the same four places.
A generalist sees invoices and a payroll run. Your business is different systems tested on different cycles, a re-inspection fee when a building fails, and reports that have to satisfy a specific authority having jurisdiction. When the books do not separate the system type, you cannot tell which service line actually carries the business.
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1
Different system types blur into one inspection fee
Sprinkler testing, alarm testing, and kitchen hood suppression checks all get billed as one lump sum on a mixed job, and you cannot tell which system type brings in the steadiest work.
What we doSplits inspection billing by system type when the invoice covers more than one, so you can see each service line clearly. -
2
Re-inspection fees look like a random bonus
A building that fails its first sprinkler test pays for a return visit, and if that fee is not tied to the original inspection, it looks like extra income out of nowhere instead of what it is, a scheduling cost from a failed test.
What we doKeeps re-inspection fees in their own category and notes which original inspection they follow up on. -
3
Testing equipment calibration gets buried in supplies
Pressure gauges, flow test equipment, and alarm test devices need regular calibration to keep results valid, and filed as a generic supply cost, that requirement is easy to let slip.
What we doKeeps calibration costs in their own line, so it never gets confused with a one-time supply purchase and skipped. -
4
Report preparation time goes unbilled and untracked
A detailed compliance report for the authority having jurisdiction takes real office hours after the site visit, and if that time is not accounted for anywhere, the true cost of an inspection looks lower than it is.
What we doFlags office and report preparation hours against inspection revenue, so pricing reflects the whole job, not just the site visit.
Your categories
The categories Gus keeps for a fire safety inspection company.
Set up once for how you bill and what you spend. You never pick a category. He does, and an accountant checks it.
Money in
- Sprinkler testing feesFlow tests and inspections for fire sprinkler systems.
- Alarm testing feesFire alarm and detection system inspections.
- Hood suppression testing feesCommercial kitchen fire suppression system checks.
- Re-inspection feesReturn visit fees after a building fails its first test.
Money out
- Inspector wagesPay for certified field technicians.
- Testing equipmentPressure gauges, flow meters, and alarm test devices.
- Equipment calibrationRegular calibration to keep test results valid.
- Vehicle costsFuel, maintenance, and insurance for the inspection fleet.
- State certification and licensingInspector certification and company licensing renewals.
- Report software and documentationTools used to prepare compliance reports for the authority having jurisdiction.
What we watch for you
- Revenue by system type
Sprinkler, alarm, and hood suppression fees compared. Shows which service line carries the business.
- Re-inspection rate
Return visits against total inspections. High and rising might point to a scheduling or testing issue.
- Report time cost
Office hours preparing compliance reports against inspection revenue. Shows if pricing covers the whole job.
- The set-aside
What you will owe on inspection income, tracked monthly so April is already covered.
Ask Gus
Things fire safety inspection 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.
Right now sprinkler testing brings in more total, but hood suppression fees per visit run higher. I keep both split out so you can see the full picture.
They failed their sprinkler tests in August and paid for the re-inspection. I tied those fees back to the original visit so it reads as a follow-up, not new business.
I track the office hours spent on compliance reports against what each inspection brings in. Right now it looks tight, worth a look at pricing with the accountant.
The tax side
The tax side of a fire safety inspection company.
Most of what goes wrong here is separating service lines and tracking real job cost, including office time. Get that right and the rest is timing.
What your return has to get right
Your accountant signs it, so it gets done right the first time.
- Equipment write-offs for testing gear and vehiclesTesting equipment and inspection vehicles can often be written off in the year you buy them. Bonus depreciation is back to 100 percent for property acquired after January 19, 2025.
- Worker classification for field inspectorsAn inspector who works your schedule, uses your equipment, and reports to your office is usually an employee, even if paid per inspection.
- Contractor 1099sAnyone not on payroll who you paid $2,000 or more in 2026, such as a fill-in inspector, gets a 1099-NEC by January 31. Gus keeps the list all year.
- The pass-through deductionMost owner-operators can take up to 20 percent of business profit off their taxable income. It comes out right when each system type's billing and cost are tracked apart all year.
Deductions fire safety inspection companies miss
Your bookkeeper knows what to look for in your statements. You never have to.
- Pressure gauges and flow meters
- Alarm test devices
- Equipment calibration costs
- Inspection vehicle fuel and repairs
- Inspector certification renewals
- State company licensing fees
- Compliance report software
- Continuing education courses
- Uniforms with your logo
- Phone and tablet for field reporting
- GPS fleet tracking
- Professional liability insurance
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 fire safety inspection year, kept every month.
Inspection cycles come due all year long. Your taxes come on a schedule too. 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
Inspections planned for the year
Last year's return gets started, the 1099 list for fill-in inspectors is ready, and you get a monthly set-aside so April is already handled.
- April
Filed while cycles keep coming due
Your return is filed and signed. No surprise bill, since the set-aside has been building alongside your inspection schedule since January.
- July
A midyear inspection check
Where you stand, what you will owe, and whether re-inspection rates have changed the picture.
- October
Before year-end inspections
Many annual inspections cluster before year-end for insurance and occupancy renewals. Gus looks at equipment worth buying before December.
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 fire safety inspection 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 fire safety inspection owners ask first.
Can Gus separate sprinkler, alarm, and hood suppression revenue?
Yes. Each system type gets its own category, so you can see which service line brings in the steadiest work instead of one blended inspection number.
How does Gus handle a re-inspection fee?
He keeps it in its own category and ties it back to the original inspection, so it reads as a follow-up visit, not extra income out of nowhere.
Does equipment calibration count as a deduction?
Yes, it is an ordinary cost of keeping your test results valid. Gus keeps it on its own line so it never gets mistaken for a random supply purchase.
Should I track the time spent writing compliance reports?
It is worth knowing. Gus flags office hours spent on reports against what an inspection brings in, so pricing can reflect the whole job, not just the site visit.
My books are behind after a busy inspection season. Is that a problem?
No. Send whatever statements you have. Gus works through them and sorts inspection revenue by system type, usually within 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.
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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