Industries / Construction

Every job stands on
its own numbers

Bids, draws, payroll, equipment, and retainage all pull on the same company at once. Job costs tell you whether the work is earning. We keep the numbers current enough to guide the next bid.

See How We Help
Cooper Norman advisor reviewing financial documents with clients.

Construction Problem

The job moves faster than
the numbers behind it.

General contractors, subcontractors, and specialty trades juggle crews, bids, change orders, and draws every week. The books, payroll, and tax strategy still have to be kept up to date every month, or the next bid gets built on guesswork.

A Cooper Norman advisor shares cost analysis dashboards on a shop floor.
  • Job costs kept current

    Labor, materials, and overhead tracked by project, with timely reporting that shows which jobs earn and what the next bid should be.

  • Tax planning upfront

    Proactive tax planning and preparation, entity structuring, deduction reviews, and multi-state tax guidance for work across state lines.

  • Transition planning early

    An exit strategy built before you need it, moving ownership to the next generation or a buyer while protecting the value of the company.

  • Cash flow and contracts

    Cash flow analysis, construction contract assistance, work in progress reporting, bonding assistance, and public works and state licensing guidance.

Cooper Norman Approach

From the bid to the books,
one plan for the company.

  • Set up job costing that mirrors how you bid and build
  • Keep payroll, receivables, and the monthly close current
  • Connect tax planning to entity structure and the states you work in
  • Put a transition strategy in place before ownership changes

Result

Profitable jobs you can prove
and time back to run them.

Large amounts of money move through every project, and small errors compound quickly. Cooper Norman watches the finances closely, shows you which jobs earn and which do not, and keeps payroll, taxes, and reporting in order. We serve construction clients from start-ups to third-generation companies, so the guidance meets your company wherever it stands.

Talk With a Construction Advisor

Cooper Norman team members walk through the firm's front lobby.

Frequently
asked
questions

Who needs a construction accountant?

General contractors, subcontractors, specialty trades, and residential and commercial builders all move large amounts of money through each project, and the smallest error can hurt the whole job. If you want payroll out on time, taxes kept as low as the law allows, and every dollar accounted for, a construction accountant belongs on the team.

What is job costing analysis?

Job costing tracks the labor, materials, and overhead each project uses, so you see what a job truly costs while it is running. That record sharpens future bids, supports better management decisions, and keeps financial reporting timely, which matters most when material and labor costs keep moving.

Can you help with bids and estimates?

Yes. The estimate drives the whole project. We help your estimators build competitive bids with a realistic picture of the costs the job will carry and the profit it should return.

Do you handle cash flow management?

Yes. A profitable construction company can still run short on cash between draws. We analyze your cash needs, watch the timing, and give you tools to keep projects, payroll, and growth moving without interruption.

What does tax planning cover for contractors?

Proactive planning and preparation, a review of deductions you may be missing, entity structure, and multi-state tax guidance when your work crosses state lines. The goal is simple: keep more of each project's profit in the company.

Can you help with contracts, bonding, and public works?

Yes. There is more than one way to account for a construction contract, and the choice matters to your risk and your financial statements. We help you handle contracts correctly, prepare work in progress reporting for your bank and bonding company, and provide bonding assistance, public works help, and state licensing guidance.

Do you work with companies of every size?

Yes. We serve construction clients from start-ups to third-generation companies, from local tradesmen to commercial and highway contractors, across six offices in Idaho and Utah.

Terri Gazdik, Partner, Chair of Construction and Real Estate Industry

Who leads this work

Terri Gazdik, CPA

Partner, Chair of Construction and Real Estate Industry

Terri Gazdik chairs the construction and real estate industry group.

Insights

Reading for
construction owners

Practical notes on the decisions that reach our desk most often.

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