Roofing & exterior
Books and taxes for stucco and EIFS repair contractors.
Moisture testing before a bid, scratch coat and lath labor, synthetic EIFS systems priced differently than traditional stucco, and the occasional water-intrusion insurance claim. 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
June cleared $24,800. The Weston Court job needed a full moisture test before we bid it, so I kept that testing cost against the job instead of folding it into overhead.
- Homeowner final paymentCompleted repairs
- State Farm water damage claimInsurance jobs
- Stucco and lath supplier orderMaterials
- Moisture meter calibrationTesting equipment
- Scratch coat crew payoutSubcontracted crews
Why your books are different
Stucco and EIFS books go wrong around testing and material type, not volume.
A generalist bookkeeper doesn't know the difference between traditional stucco and a synthetic EIFS system, or that a bid often starts with a moisture test before anyone touches a wall. Your business needs the books to track testing, material type, and the occasional water-damage claim separately.
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1
Moisture testing gets folded into the estimate
A moisture test to find hidden water intrusion behind stucco or EIFS is often done before a bid is even accepted, and if that cost isn't tracked, you can't tell whether testing is eating into margin on jobs that don't convert.
What we doKeeps moisture testing costs in their own line, whether or not the job that follows gets booked, so you can see what testing is actually costing you. -
2
Traditional stucco and EIFS material costs get mixed together
A synthetic EIFS system uses different materials and costs differently than a traditional three-coat stucco job, and if both get lumped into one materials category, you lose the ability to price each type correctly.
What we doSplits stucco and EIFS material costs into their own lines, so you can see which system's jobs are actually profitable. -
3
A water damage claim gets mixed with routine repair work
Occasionally a stucco repair job is triggered by a water intrusion problem that involves an insurance claim, which pays and moves differently than a homeowner paying cash for routine crack repair.
What we doKeeps insurance-funded water damage jobs separate from routine cash repairs, so you can see how each part of the business is performing. -
4
Scratch coat and finish coat labor blur together
A stucco job has distinct labor stages, the scratch coat, brown coat, and finish coat, often done by different crew members at different rates, and if it's tracked as one lump labor cost, you can't tell which stage is running over budget.
What we doKeeps crew labor by stage where the data allows, so you can see whether a job's labor is tracking to what was bid.
Your categories
The categories Gus keeps for a stucco and EIFS repair 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 repairsCash and card jobs paid directly by the homeowner.
- Insurance jobsWater damage claims, tracked against the job they belong to.
- Testing and inspection feesStandalone moisture testing jobs not tied to a repair yet.
- Commercial and HOA contractsMulti-unit or association work billed on completion or by milestone.
Money out
- MaterialsStucco, lath, and EIFS system components, kept separate by system type.
- Testing equipmentMoisture meters, probes, and calibration.
- Subcontracted crewsScratch coat, brown coat, and finish coat labor, kept apart from payroll.
- Scaffolding and lift rentalAccess equipment rented for taller or commercial jobs.
- Trucks and fuelFuel, repairs, and insurance for the fleet.
- Lead generationAngi, Google local services ads, and referral network costs.
- Insurance and licensingLiability coverage, workers' comp, and contractor license renewals.
What we watch for you
- Job margin
What each repair actually cleared once materials, testing, and crew pay are counted.
- Testing conversion rate
How often a paid moisture test turns into a booked repair job.
- Material cost by system
Whether traditional stucco or EIFS jobs are actually more profitable once material costs are separated.
- The set-aside
What you will owe, tracked every month, so a busy season doesn't turn into a surprise bill.
Ask Gus
Things stucco and EIFS 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 kept it in its own testing category, so you can see over time whether testing costs are actually being covered by the jobs that do convert.
I keep material costs split by system type, so you can compare them directly instead of guessing from memory.
If they're not on payroll and you pay them $2,000 or more this year, yes, by January 31. I'm keeping that list running as jobs come in.
The tax side
The tax side of a stucco and EIFS repair business.
Most of what goes wrong here is separating testing costs from repair costs, and keeping material types apart for accurate pricing.
What your return has to get right
Your accountant signs it, so it gets done right the first time.
- Testing equipment and toolsMoisture meters and other testing 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 stage-based crewsAny crew not on payroll who is paid $2,000 or more in 2026, even for just one stage of a job like the scratch coat, gets a 1099-NEC by January 31.
- Employee or contractorA crew member who works only for you on your schedule usually looks like an employee, no matter how the labor is broken into stages. 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 testing and repair jobs are tracked correctly all year.
Deductions stucco and EIFS repair contractors miss
Your bookkeeper knows what to look for in your statements. You never have to.
- Moisture meters and probes
- Stucco and lath materials
- EIFS system components
- Scaffolding and lift rental
- Truck fuel and repairs
- Manufacturer certification classes
- Angi and Google local services ads
- License and bonding fees
- Uniforms with your logo
- Phone and tablet for job tracking
- Card processing fees
- Testing equipment calibration
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 stucco and EIFS year, kept every month.
Water intrusion doesn't wait for a season, 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 stage-crew 1099 list is finalized, and the monthly set-aside is planned before spring repair season picks 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 testing conversion this year changed what you'll owe.
- October
Before the slowdown
A look at testing equipment or scaffolding 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 stucco and EIFS repair 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 stucco and EIFS owners ask first.
How does Gus track a moisture test that doesn't turn into a job?
He keeps testing costs in their own category regardless of whether the job that follows gets booked, so you can see over time whether testing is worth what it costs.
Can Gus tell me if EIFS or traditional stucco jobs are more profitable?
He keeps material costs split by system type, so you can compare them directly instead of relying on a guess.
Does an insurance-funded water damage repair get tracked differently?
Yes. Gus keeps insurance jobs separate from routine cash repairs, since they pay differently and often more slowly, so you can see how each is performing.
My crews are paid by the stage, scratch coat then finish coat. Does Gus handle that?
Where the bank statement shows it, Gus keeps labor tracked by stage, so you can see whether a job's labor is running to what was bid.
Do I need separate licensing for stucco versus EIFS work?
Licensing requirements vary by state, so that's not something Gus can answer generally. He flags it for the accountant to confirm for your situation.
My books are behind and mix testing with repair costs. Can Gus untangle that?
Yes. Send the bank statements you have. Gus sorts them going forward, separating testing from repairs where 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