Construction Bookkeeping Services in Missouri

Don’t let the pink fool you. I understand construction.

Melton Bookkeeping and Accounting Services provides construction bookkeeping services in Missouri for contractors and project-based businesses that need job costing, WIP reporting and financials they can trust. I handle your books myself. I am Paula Melton, a CPA with over 23 years of tax and accounting experience. Construction packages start at $2,000 a month, and the price is published before you call.

Contractors usually call me when the books stop telling the truth, or when a bonding company asks for financial reports the books cannot back up. Revenue looks great in July. Then the year-end WIP adjustment turns a profit into a loss. Monthly construction bookkeeping catches that while there is still time to act.

What Construction Bookkeeping Includes Each Month

Construction bookkeeping is monthly bookkeeping built around jobs instead of only bank accounts. I tie every cost, bill and payment to the project it belongs to. That way you can see what each job actually earned. My Construction / Advanced package includes everything in my Growth package, plus the construction work below.

Construction Accounting Services You Can Add

Some contractors want more than clean books. You can add these construction accounting services to your monthly package for an additional fee. We agree on every extra in advance, so there are no surprises.

Your price depends on four things. They are transaction volume, the number of bank, credit card and loan accounts, payroll, and how much support you want. See full pricing.

Included every month:

Job costing and project tracking for every open job
Work-in-progress (WIP) reporting each month
Billings vs. cost analysis, so overbilling and underbilling show up early
Support for bonding, lenders and other reporting requirements
Coordination with your CPA and other advisors
Monthly bookkeeping and monthly financial statements
Payroll recording and payroll tax reporting, when included in your engagement
Year-end financials and limited advisory support

Overbilling and Underbilling in Construction Accounting

Comparison	Overbilling	Underbilling
What it means	You have billed ahead of the work completed	You have done work you have not billed yet
How it shows up	Billings are higher than costs	Costs are higher than billings
On your balance sheet	A liability, money collected but not yet earned	An asset, revenue earned but not yet invoiced

Both affect your financials, your cash flow and your tax position. Left alone, they build up quietly until tax season. When I update your WIP schedule monthly, you can see:

Comparing estimated and actual costs also sharpens your bids. The next job gets priced on real numbers.

Why Construction Bookkeeping Goes Wrong Without a WIP Schedule

Construction bookkeeping goes wrong when the books follow billings and expenses as they happen. Nobody adjusts for where each job really stands. Everything looks fine until year-end. Then your CPA makes the WIP adjustments, revenue drops, and a profitable year can turn into a loss on paper.

A work-in-progress schedule connects three numbers on every job. It shows what you have billed, what you have earned and what the work actually cost. Billing a job, or even collecting on it, does not mean you have earned it yet.

Who Needs Construction Bookkeeping Services

Construction bookkeeping services fit any business that runs on jobs, projects or contracts. That includes general contractors, subcontractors, remodelers, builders and trades like HVAC, plumbing and electrical, especially those bidding government jobs that require bonding.

If your books are already a mess, start with a cleanup. My QuickBooks cleanup services correct the file first. Then monthly construction bookkeeping keeps it accurate.

You likely need it if:

Why Contractors Choose a CPA for Construction Bookkeeping

Contractors choose a CPA for construction bookkeeping because the books and the tax return are connected. I prepare business tax returns. So I can see how a job costing decision or an owner payroll choice will land at tax time.

Construction CPA Support at Tax Time

Want one professional for both? I prepare business returns for S corporations (Form 1120-S), C corporations (Form 1120), partnerships (Form 1065) and single-member LLCs (Schedule C). Already have a tax preparer? I work with your CPA so your construction books are tax-ready before their deadline.

We Understand You

You know how to build. Do your books show what you have built? Construction bookkeeping ties job costing, retainage, change orders and work-in-progress schedules together, and one accounting error can leave you with reports that do not tell the whole story. I understand how those pieces fit together.

I roll up my sleeves, ask questions and dig into the details to find what is wrong and help make it right. The colors are soft. My attention to your numbers is serious.

Construction Bookkeeping for Bonding Requirements

Contractors who bid government jobs are required to carry bonding, and bonding companies ask for financial reports, sometimes with more in-depth accounting reviews. Inaccurate or outdated books can complicate bonding decisions.

I help contractors provide clear, current financial information so their bonding company can evaluate the business with greater confidence. I work with your bonding agent and your outside CPA firm so they get the numbers they need. Let’s get your books ready for that conversation.

Do any of these sound familiar?

You don't have to keep working this way.

About Paula Melton, Your Construction Accountant in Missouri

I am Paula Melton, a CPA and the owner of Melton Bookkeeping and Accounting Services in Marshfield, Missouri. As a construction accountant, I bring over 23 years of business tax and accounting experience. That includes bookkeeping, tax preparation, sales tax, 1099 filings and payroll, including payroll tax compliance.

I work with contractors in Marshfield, Springfield, Nixa, Bolivar and across Southwest Missouri. Not in the area? I work remotely too. Bringing order to messy books is something I genuinely enjoy, and I explain your numbers in plain language so you can bid, borrow and plan with confidence.

Common Questions About Construction Bookkeeping

What does a construction bookkeeper do?

A construction bookkeeper records every cost, bill and payment against the job it belongs to, then reports how each project is performing. Each month I handle job costing, work-in-progress reporting, billings vs. cost analysis and monthly bookkeeping. That way overbilling, underbilling and jobs running over budget show up before year-end.

How much does construction bookkeeping cost in Missouri?

Construction bookkeeping with Melton Bookkeeping and Accounting Services starts at $2,000 a month for the Construction / Advanced package. It includes everything in the Growth package plus job costing, WIP reporting, billings vs. cost analysis and bonding support. Final pricing depends on transaction volume, accounts, payroll and the support you need.

Can you do my construction bookkeeping if I am not near Springfield?

Yes, construction bookkeeping does not have to be local. I am based in Marshfield, Missouri, and I serve Springfield, Nixa, Bolivar and Southwest Missouri. I also work remotely with construction businesses outside the area. Your location does not change what the Construction / Advanced package includes or what it costs.

Will you work with my current CPA?

Yes, coordinating with your CPA and other advisors is part of the Construction / Advanced package. At year-end your CPA gets a digital tax package with clean books, reliable reports and tax-ready financials. That means no chasing missing job costs or surprise WIP adjustments when the return is being prepared.

Start Construction Bookkeeping Services in Missouri

If your job costs, WIP schedule or year-end numbers keep surprising you, construction bookkeeping services from a Missouri CPA can fix that. Call me at 417-630-0057. Or start with a QuickBooks Diagnostic Review so we know exactly where your books stand.