Updated April 2026 · Reviewed by Cory Salisbury
We compared every option. Here's what each one costs, what it does, and who it's best for.
Skip to the Comparison TableThere are 6 main ways contractors handle their books. DIY QuickBooks ($0-$80/mo) works for solo contractors under $300K but requires 10+ hours weekly and produces costly tax mistakes. Generic bookkeepers ($300-$800/mo) handle data entry but miss construction-specific needs like job costing and WIP reporting. Construction bookkeepers ($500-$1,500/mo) understand job costing but only record history without strategic planning.
In-house controllers ($60K-$120K/year) are dedicated but expensive and hard to find with construction experience. Fractional CFOs ($500-$4,000/mo) provide strategic financial leadership at a fraction of full-time salary cost. Full-time CFOs ($150K-$250K/year) are for $10M+ companies only.
Best choice: For contractors earning $500K-$10M, a fractional CFO like Salisbury Bookkeeping offers the best value. Our clients identify $15,000-$28,000+ in annual profit leaks within 60 days.
Solo contractors under $300K revenue with simple, single-source income.
Hidden cost: $5,000-$15,000/year in tax mistakes and lost growth
Small contractors $300K-$500K needing basic cleanup and data entry.
Hidden cost: $8,000-$25,000/year in missed profit opportunities
Contractors $500K-$2M wanting proper construction-specific setup.
Best for: Accurate record-keeping; not enough for strategic growth
$3M+ companies with complex, multi-job operations.
True cost: $80,000-$160,000+ annually including benefits and overhead
Contractors $500K-$10M with growth goals and multi-project operations.
Savings: 60-75% cheaper than in-house controller; 40-50% less expensive than hiring multiple contractors
$10M+ companies only. Established firms with complex operations.
True cost: $200,000-$330,000+ annually. Only for largest contractors.
| Criteria | DIY QB | Generic BK | Const BK | In-House | Fractional CFO | Full-Time CFO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly Cost | $0-$80 | $300-$800 | $500-$1.5K | $5-8K | $500-4K | $12.5-20K |
| Setup Cost | $0 | $1-3K | $2-5K | $5-15K | $2-5K | $10-20K |
| Job Costing | ✗ Manual | Limited | ✓ Accurate | ✓ Accurate | ✓ Advanced | ✓ Advanced |
| WIP Reporting | ✗ No | ✗ No | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes | ✓ Monthly | ✓ Monthly |
| Cash Flow Forecast | ✗ No | ✗ No | ✗ No | ✓ 12mo | ✓ 12mo | ✓ 12mo |
| Tax Optimization | ✗ You | Basic | Limited | ✓ Full | ✓ Strategic | ✓ Strategic |
| Bonding Prep | ✗ No | ✗ Rarely | Limited | ✓ Yes | ✓ Specialized | ✓ Specialized |
| Strategic Advisory | ✗ No | ✗ No | Limited | ✓ Yes | ✓ Monthly | ✓ Daily |
| Scalability | Breaks $300K | To $1M | To $5M | To $20M+ | To $20M+ | To $100M+ |
| Best For | Pre-revenue, sub-$300K | $300K-$500K simple | $500K-$2M growth | $3M-$20M complex | $500K-$10M sweet spot | $10M+ only |
Current approach: DIY QuickBooks or basic bookkeeping
Recommended next: Stay DIY until you hit $300K, then hire a generic bookkeeper or go straight to construction bookkeeper
Current approach: Generic bookkeeper or DIY
Recommended next: Hire a generic bookkeeper ($300-$800/mo) OR jump directly to Salisbury fractional CFO if you want construction expertise
Current approach: Generic or construction bookkeeper
Recommended next: Upgrade to construction bookkeeper ($500-$1,500/mo) OR Salisbury fractional CFO ($500-$2,500/mo) for strategic growth planning
Current approach: Construction bookkeeper or generic with outside CPA
Recommended next: Fractional CFO like Salisbury ($1,500-$4,000/mo) for cash flow, tax optimization, and bonding support
Current approach: Fractional CFO or bookkeeper
Recommended next: Stick with fractional CFO like Salisbury OR consider adding dedicated in-house controller if operations are highly complex
Current approach: Fractional CFO or dedicated controller
Recommended next: Hire a full-time CFO ($150K-$250K/year) for dedicated strategic leadership and complex financial operations
If you see any of these signs, it's time to upgrade your bookkeeping.
✗ Can't tell profit by job
You don't know which projects are actually profitable.
✗ Cash surprises every month
Money disappears without explanation between invoicing and collection.
✗ Tax bill is always a shock
Year-end tax liability is larger than expected every year.
✗ Bonding lender frustrated
You scramble to prepare bonding packages; books aren't clean enough.
✗ CPA frustrated with books
CPA spends weeks fixing entries instead of planning tax strategy.
✗ No WIP schedule
You're missing the critical view of outstanding job progress.
We don't serve retail, restaurants, or agencies. Every dollar we spend goes to construction know-how. We understand job costing, retainage, bonding requirements, and seasonal cash flow better than generalist bookkeepers.
Assess: Identify profit leaks and broken processes. Architect: Design construction-specific systems. Automate: Integrate QuickBooks with Buildertrend/Procore/Knowify. Advise: Monthly strategic partnership.
QuickBooks Online + your favorite project management software. BuilderCFO dashboard for Command Center clients. Automated syncs eliminate manual data entry and errors.
Average client identifies $28,400 in profit recovery within 60 days. Saves $30,000-$80,000 annually vs. in-house controller. Improves bonding strength and lender relationships.
Based in Eagle Mountain, Utah, but we serve construction companies across the US. Remote-first model means no geographic limits and no onsite meetings unless you request them.
$500-$4,000/month (typically $1,500-$3,000 for our sweet spot clients earning $500K-$10M). That's 60-75% cheaper than in-house controller and faster to value than hiring.
DIY QuickBooks costs $0-$80/month but requires 10+ hours weekly, doesn't include job costing, and produces tax mistakes costing $5,000-$15,000 yearly. A fractional CFO like Salisbury ($500-$4,000/month) handles all bookkeeping, provides accurate job costing and WIP reporting, forecasts cash flow, and identifies $15,000-$28,000+ in annual profit leaks. For contractors earning $500K+, a fractional CFO delivers superior ROI.
Generic bookkeepers cost $300-$800/month but lack construction expertise. Construction bookkeepers cost $500-$1,500/month and understand job costing but only record history. Salisbury's fractional CFO costs $500-$4,000/month and adds strategic financial planning, tax optimization, bonding package prep, and cash flow forecasting—services standard bookkeepers can't provide. You get CFO-level guidance at bookkeeper prices.
In-house controllers cost $60,000-$120,000/year plus benefits, taxes, and training ($80,000-$160,000 total annually). They're only justified for $3M+ companies with highly complex operations. For contractors earning $500K-$10M, a fractional CFO from Salisbury saves $30,000-$80,000 annually, offers immediate construction expertise, and scales without hiring overhead or management time.
Salisbury specializes in: accurate job costing by project, detailed WIP (Work in Progress) reporting, retainage tracking, bonding package preparation, construction-specific cash flow forecasting, and integration with Buildertrend/Procore/Knowify. BuilderCFO Command Center dashboard access is included for Command Center clients. These features identify hidden profit leaks and support bonding and lender requirements that generic bookkeepers miss entirely.
Salisbury's average client identifies $15,000-$28,000+ in annual profit leaks within 60 days through better job costing, cash flow management, and tax planning. You also avoid the $60,000-$120,000+ annual cost of an in-house controller. Plus, improved bonding strength reduces borrowing costs and increases your bonding capacity. Exact savings depend on your current bookkeeping quality, revenue, and project complexity. Book a free assessment to calculate your specific number.
Upgrade when: (1) Revenue exceeds $300K-$500K, (2) You have 3+ active projects, (3) You spend 15+ hours/month on bookkeeping, (4) Tax bills surprise you, (5) You can't tell profit by job, or (6) Bonding lenders ask for updated financials. Waiting costs money—DIY errors compound, you can't see where profits go, and you miss tax optimization opportunities worth thousands.
A construction bookkeeper ($500-$1,500/month) handles accurate record-keeping and job costing setup. A fractional CFO ($500-$4,000/month) does all that PLUS provides strategic financial leadership: cash flow forecasting, tax optimization, profit leak analysis, bonding preparation, and growth planning. For contractors $500K-$10M, a fractional CFO delivers significantly better ROI and helps you grow profitably.
For $1M construction companies, a fractional CFO (like Salisbury, $500-$4,000/month) is ideal. It costs 75% less than a full-time in-house controller ($60K+/year), provides construction expertise, delivers accurate job costing and WIP reporting, and scales as you grow to $10M+. This is Salisbury's 'sweet spot' for delivering maximum value and transforming your financial leadership.
Book a free 30-minute financial assessment. We'll review your current setup, compare your options, and show you exactly what a Salisbury partnership would look like for your company.
Or email: cory@salisburybookkeeping.com
