Remodeling & interiors
Books and taxes for historic home restoration contractors.
A landmark commission review that delays the start date, custom millwork made to match a hundred-year-old profile, a plaster restoration sub, and lead-safe work practices on a pre-1978 home. 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
June came in at $22,000. The Ashworth job's landmark commission approval took an extra six weeks, so the delay is tied to that project instead of looking like idle time.
- Client draw, Ashworth restorationProgress draws
- Custom millwork shopCustom millwork and materials
- Plaster restoration subSpecialty subcontractors
- Lead-safe work practice suppliesLead-safe compliance costs
- Reclaimed lumber orderSalvage and reclaimed materials
Why your books are different
Historic restoration books go wrong waiting on a commission's approval.
A generalist sees a deposit and a bill. Your jobs wait on a landmark commission or historic review board before work can even start, use custom millwork made to match a profile nobody manufactures anymore, and often trigger lead-safe work rules on a house built before 1978. When the books do not track that, an approval delay looks like a slow month instead of the reason for it.
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1
A review board delay looks like lost time
Waiting weeks or months for a historic district or landmark commission to approve a scope of work is common, and if that gap is not tied to the job waiting on approval, it can look like your crew sat idle instead of being held up by a process outside your control.
What we doTies the delay to the job awaiting approval, so a review board's timeline shows up as the reason, not a mystery slow stretch. -
2
Custom millwork costs far more than standard trim
Matching an original profile often means custom-milled trim, sash, or moldings from a specialty shop, priced well above anything off the shelf, and if that cost is not tied to the job, a restoration's true material cost gets lost against a normal remodel's numbers.
What we doKeeps custom millwork in its own line, tied to the job, so the real cost of matching original details is visible. -
3
Lead-safe work practices add a real, trackable cost
Homes built before 1978 often require lead-safe work practices during renovation, and the containment, disposal, and specialized handling this requires is a genuine added cost that should not just disappear into general job expenses.
What we doTracks lead-safe compliance costs on their own, so you can see what working safely on an older home actually costs per job. -
4
Specialty subs get lumped in with standard trades
Plaster restoration, historic window repair, and slate roofing are specialized skills billed differently than standard drywall or asphalt roofing work, and if they blend into general subcontractor costs, you cannot see what the specialty work itself is really costing you.
What we doKeeps specialty restoration subs in their own line, separate from standard trades, so their real cost is visible.
Your categories
The categories Gus keeps for a historic home restoration 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
- Progress drawsPayments tied to restoration stages, often stretched by approval timelines.
- Change order billingAdded scope discovered once original materials are exposed.
- RetainageThe final percentage held back until the walkthrough, tracked so it does not get forgotten.
- Consultation and assessment feesStandalone visits to scope a restoration before a full contract is signed.
Money out
- Custom millwork and materialsTrim, sash, and moldings made to match original profiles.
- Salvage and reclaimed materialsReclaimed lumber, brick, and hardware sourced for authenticity.
- Specialty subcontractorsPlaster restoration, historic window repair, and slate roofing, kept apart from standard trades.
- Lead-safe compliance costsContainment and disposal costs specific to pre-1978 homes.
- Permit and review feesPaid to the local building department and historic review board.
What we watch for you
- Job margin
What each restoration actually cleared after custom materials and specialty subs, not just the contract price.
- Approval delay cost
How much review board timelines are stretching a job's schedule and tying up crew time.
- Custom millwork cost
How much matching original details is adding to material cost compared to standard trim.
- Open draws
Money billed but not yet collected, so a slow-paying job does not become a cash surprise.
Ask Gus
Things historic restoration 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.
No, I tied that gap to the job awaiting approval, so it shows up as a review board delay, not idle time on your part.
I kept that cost tied to the job, and it reflects what matching a hundred-year-old profile actually takes. It is not out of line for restoration work.
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 historic home restoration business.
Most of what trips up this business is timing around approvals and tracking specialty costs, plus knowing who works for you.
What your return has to get right
Your accountant signs it, so it gets done right the first time.
- Specialty sub 1099sAnyone not on payroll who you paid $2,000 or more in 2026, like a plaster or historic window specialist, gets a 1099-NEC by January 31. Gus keeps the list as the year goes.
- Employee or subcontractorA craftsperson 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.
- Historic preservation tax creditsSome restoration work may qualify for state or federal preservation tax credits. The rules and amounts vary enough that Gus flags a potentially eligible project and has the accountant confirm what actually applies.
- 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 custom materials and approval delays correctly all year.
Deductions historic home restoration contractors miss
Your bookkeeper knows what to look for in your statements. You never have to.
- Custom millwork samples
- Restoration-grade tools
- Lead-safe containment supplies
- Truck fuel and repairs
- Liability insurance
- Bonding costs
- Continuing education and certifications
- Branded uniforms
- Phone and tablet for jobsite use
- Mileage to review board meetings and job sites
- Reclaimed material sourcing trips
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 historic home restoration year, kept every month.
Approval timelines can stretch a job well past a normal remodel's schedule. Gus keeps taxes on their own, 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 specialty sub 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 review board delays are affecting how the year is shaping up.
- October
Before year-end
Gus looks at any equipment worth buying before December and whether a project might carry potential preservation tax credit questions for the accountant.
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 historic home restoration contractors. 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 historic restoration owners ask first.
A job is delayed waiting on landmark commission approval. Does that hurt my books?
No. Gus ties the delay to the job awaiting approval, so it shows up as a review board timeline, not idle crew time or a slow month.
Does Gus track custom millwork differently than standard trim?
Yes. Custom millwork made to match original profiles is kept in its own line tied to the job, so its real cost is visible instead of blending into general materials.
My work is often on pre-1978 homes with lead-safe requirements. Does that get tracked?
Yes. Lead-safe compliance costs get their own line, so you can see what working safely on an older home actually costs per job.
Can my project qualify for a historic preservation tax credit?
It is possible. Gus flags a project that may qualify, and the accountant confirms what actually applies, since the rules and amounts vary by state and by project.
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 need to track retainage the customer is holding back?
Yes, and Gus does it for you. It gets flagged as money still owed so it shows up when the final walkthrough releases it, instead of getting lost.
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