Bookkeeping Built for Contractors Who Need to Know Which Jobs Actually Make Money
When every job gets blended into one general number, you can't tell which projects are actually profitable and which ones are quietly losing you money. Add in subcontractor payments, materials, and 1099 tracking, and generic bookkeeping falls apart fast for contractors and trades businesses.
Books by Anthony is a solo bookkeeping practice built for contractors, trades professionals, and real estate investors across San Antonio and beyond. Job costing, 1099s, and project-based cash flow are things Anthony already understands, because that's all he works on. You get direct access to Anthony, not a rotating staff, with flat, transparent pricing agreed before you commit.
Book Your Free Discovery CallWhat Bookkeeping For Contractors With Anthony Actually Looks Like
Job costing set up in QuickBooks Online, so you see real profit per project, not just one blended number.
Subcontractor payments tracked by job, with 1099-NEC filing handled at year-end.
QBO ProAdvisor Level 2 and Payroll Certified, so your books are handled by someone tested and verified.
Flat, transparent pricing agreed before you commit, no surprise invoices.
From First Call to Clean Books
No confusing onboarding, no guessing what happens next. Here's exactly how Anthony gets your books from wherever they are now to accurate and current.
Discovery Call
Book a free call to talk through your business and what's going on with your books.
Book Review
Anthony reviews your current books and flags anything that needs attention before you commit to anything.
Custom Proposal
You get a proposal built for your business, not a generic package with add-ons you don't need.
Engagement & Start
Sign your engagement letter, make your first payment, and work begins right away.
What Clients Are Saying
"I've been in this business for 20 years. Books by Anthony is one of the most knowledgeable people I know. Perfect person to help with the efficiencies of your business."
"I don't say this lightly... switching to Anthony with BooksbyAnthony was one of the best business decisions I've made. In a short amount of time, he's already taught me more about my numbers than I learned with my previous bookkeeper."
"I cannot recommend Anthony highly enough. He is incredibly organized, detail-oriented, and reliable. From the moment we started working together, everything became more streamlined and stress-free."
"Anthony is extremely knowledgeable and down to earth which is very rare."
"Best bookkeeper out there! I have had horrible luck my first year in business and he has changed my outlook on having my finances in order!"
Common Questions
Why does job costing matter for my business?
Job costing means every project has its own profit and loss instead of getting blended into one general number for the whole business. Without it, you might think your business is profitable overall while individual jobs are actually losing money, or the other way around. It's how you find out which types of jobs, clients, or crews are actually worth taking on.
How do you handle 1099s for my subcontractors?
Every subcontractor gets tracked as a vendor and their payments get tied to the specific job they worked, not just lumped into one expense line. As of 2026, the federal threshold for issuing a 1099-NEC is $2,000 paid to a subcontractor in a calendar year, up from the old $600 threshold. I track it throughout the year so nothing gets missed or rushed at year-end.
What is retainage and how should it be tracked?
Retainage is the percentage, usually 5 to 10%, that a client or general contractor holds back until a project is finished and approved. It shouldn't just sit inside your regular income numbers, it needs its own account so you can see what's actually been collected versus what's still owed to you per project.
What's the difference between a 1099 subcontractor and a W-2 employee, for my books?
1099 subcontractors are tracked as vendors, you don't withhold payroll taxes, and they get a 1099-NEC at year-end if they cross the filing threshold. W-2 employees go through payroll, with taxes withheld and reported differently. Misclassifying one as the other is one of the more expensive mistakes a contractor can make, so it's worth getting this set up correctly from the start.
Can you handle bookkeeping if I have multiple crews or subcontractors working different jobs at once?
Yes, that's exactly what job costing is built for. Each job gets its own cost codes for materials, labor, subcontractors, and equipment, so you can run several projects at once and still see the real profitability of each one individually.
What's the difference between a bookkeeper and an accountant?
I handle the day-to-day: recording every transaction, reconciling your accounts, and making sure your books are accurate every month. Your CPA or accountant uses those books to file your taxes and give you tax strategy. Think of me as the person who keeps your numbers clean, so when tax season comes, your accountant isn't starting from scratch.
My books are a mess, or months behind. Can you still help?
Yes, this is one of the most common ways clients come to me. Cleanup and catch-up bookkeeping is a core part of what I do. We start by reviewing exactly where things stand, then work month by month to get you current and accurate, no judgment, just a clear plan to get you caught up.
What Professional Bookkeeping Actually Gives You Back
Average time small business owners spend on DIY bookkeeping each month, based on industry studies.
Typical savings businesses see outsourcing bookkeeping instead of hiring in-house staff.
Based on published small business bookkeeping industry research, not a guarantee of individual results.