Roofing & exterior
Books and taxes for masonry and tuckpointing contractors.
Brick, mortar, and sand bought by the job, skilled mason labor paid at a higher rate than a general laborer, scaffolding rental on chimney work, and a hard stop when freezing weather shuts the season down. Gus sorts it all, an accountant checks every transaction, and you get one number a month.
- From $197 a month
- An accountant on every transaction
- Cancel whenever
October cleared $18,700, one of your last full months before the freeze. I kept the scaffolding rental on the Hendricks chimney job separate from materials so that job's real cost is clear.
- Homeowner final paymentCompleted jobs
- Property manager retaining wall jobCommercial jobs
- Brick and mortar supplier orderMaterials
- Mason wagesSkilled labor
- Scaffolding rentalEquipment rental
Why your books are different
Masonry books go wrong around skilled labor rates and the winter shutdown.
A generalist bookkeeper treats all crew pay the same. A mason is a skilled trade paid at a different rate than a laborer, your season has a hard stop when it freezes, and material orders for brick and mortar don't line up neatly with the calendar. The books need to reflect all three.
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1
Mason wages get lumped in with general labor
A skilled mason is paid more than a laborer hauling brick or mixing mortar, and if both get counted as one labor line, you can't tell whether a job's skilled labor cost matched what was bid.
What we doKeeps skilled mason pay separate from general labor, so you can see whether a job's higher-skill cost tracked to the bid. -
2
A brick and mortar order doesn't line up with the job it's for
Buying brick, sand, and mortar mix ahead of a busy stretch can make a slow-looking week hide a profitable job still waiting on materials, or a decent week look worse because of a bulk order for next month's work.
What we doBooks material orders against the specific job they're for instead of the week or month they arrived in. -
3
Scaffolding rental gets buried in materials
Chimney and taller wall work almost always needs scaffolding, but if that rental cost is lumped in with brick and mortar, you lose sight of how much access equipment adds to a job.
What we doKeeps scaffolding and lift rental in its own line, apart from materials, so you can see the full cost of taller work. -
4
A winter shutdown looks like the business failing
Masonry work stops cold in freezing weather in most climates, and a string of quiet months can look alarming if the books don't connect it to the season rather than a drop in demand.
What we doKeeps the seasonal pattern visible month to month, so a winter shutdown reads as the normal slow season it is, not a warning sign.
Your categories
The categories Gus keeps for a masonry and tuckpointing company.
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 jobsTuckpointing, chimney repair, and brick repair paid by the homeowner.
- Commercial jobsRetaining walls and larger masonry work for property managers or builders.
- Insurance jobsThe smaller share of jobs tied to storm or structural damage claims.
- Deposits heldMoney collected before work starts, held against the specific job.
Money out
- MaterialsBrick, mortar, sand, and stone, ordered by the job.
- Skilled laborMason wages, kept apart from general laborer pay.
- Equipment rentalScaffolding and lifts rented for taller or chimney work.
- Trucks and fuelFuel, repairs, and insurance for the fleet.
- Lead generationAngi, Google local services ads, and referral costs.
- Insurance and licensingLiability coverage, workers' comp, and contractor license renewals.
What we watch for you
- Job margin
What each job actually cleared once materials, mason labor, and scaffolding are counted.
- Skilled labor share
What mason wages are running against money in, since it's a higher rate than general labor.
- Off-season cash cushion
How much is set aside heading into the months when weather stops the work.
- The set-aside
What you will owe, tracked every month, so a strong season doesn't turn into a surprise bill.
Ask Gus
Things masonry 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 kept it separate from materials, under equipment rental, so you can see the full cost that taller job added beyond just the brick and mortar.
No, I keep that pattern visible month to month, so a quiet winter reads as your normal season, not a sign something's wrong.
Yes, I keep skilled mason pay separate from general labor, so you can see whether a job's skilled labor cost matched what you bid.
The tax side
The tax side of a masonry and tuckpointing business.
Most of what goes wrong here is timing material orders to the right job and keeping the winter shutdown from muddying the year's picture.
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 helpers and subcontracted crewsAnyone not on payroll who is paid $2,000 or more in 2026 gets a 1099-NEC by January 31. Gus keeps the list all year.
- Employee or contractorA mason or laborer who works only for you on your schedule usually looks like an employee, not a subcontractor. 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 through the season.
Deductions masonry and tuckpointing contractors miss
Your bookkeeper knows what to look for in your statements. You never have to.
- Brick, mortar, and sand
- Scaffolding and lift rental
- Mason hand tools and trowels
- Truck fuel and repairs
- Safety gear and dust protection
- Angi and Google local services ads
- Referral and word-of-mouth costs
- License and bonding fees
- Uniforms with your logo
- Phone for scheduling and quotes
- Card processing fees
- Off-season equipment storage
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 masonry year, kept every month.
The season stops cold when it freezes, 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 during the off-season, the crew 1099 list is finalized, and the monthly set-aside is planned before work picks back up.
- April
Filed. Done.
Your return is filed and signed, right as the season is warming back up.
- July
Halfway check
Where you stand at the peak of the season, and whether this year's material costs changed what you'll owe.
- October
Before the freeze
A look at equipment bought during the busy months and any moves worth making before winter shuts the season down.
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 masonry and tuckpointing 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 masonry owners ask first.
How does Gus handle a winter shutdown in the books?
He keeps the seasonal pattern visible month to month, so a quiet winter reads as your normal season instead of looking like a sudden drop in business.
My mason is paid more than my general laborer. Does Gus separate that?
Yes. Skilled mason wages are kept apart from general labor, so you can see whether a job's skilled labor cost matched what was bid.
How does Gus handle a brick order bought ahead of the job?
He books the order against the specific job it's for instead of the week or month it arrived in, so a bulk buy doesn't distort either period.
Does scaffolding rental need its own category?
Yes, Gus keeps it separate from materials so you can see the full cost that chimney or taller wall work adds beyond brick and mortar.
I take on a few commercial retaining wall jobs a year. Does that change the setup?
No, Gus tracks commercial jobs in their own category alongside residential work, so you can see how each is performing.
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