You're great at your trade.
We'll get the business side right.
Bookkeeping, GST/HST and year-end for Canadian contractors, written for the owner-operator who does the paperwork at night. Just starting out? Start with one session, and add monthly bookkeeping when the work picks up.
Starting a contracting business
Six things to get right from day one
Free, and yours to keep whether you work with us or not. Each one links to the official source.
A separate business bank account and card
Keep business money out of your personal account from the first job. It makes every later step easier, and it is the first thing we ask for.
GST/HST: register now, or wait?
You must register once your taxable sales pass the small-supplier limit over four calendar quarters in a row. Many contractors register earlier on purpose, to claim back the tax on tools and materials.
CRA: when to register →Keep every receipt from day one
Tools, materials, fuel and equipment are deductions only if you can show the receipt. A photo the day you buy it beats a shoebox in April.
CRA: keeping records →A vehicle log, if you drive for work
The truck is often a contractor’s biggest deduction, and the CRA expects a log of business kilometres to back it up. Start it on the first day, not at year-end.
CRA: motor vehicle records →WCB/WSIB coverage in your province
Whether you need coverage, even as an independent operator, depends on your province and how you work. Check with your provincial board before your first site.
Find your provincial board →T5018 slips if you pay subcontractors
Construction businesses that pay subcontractors report those payments to the CRA each year. Collect each sub’s name, address and business number when you hire them.
CRA: the T5018 statement →One-time start-up session
The checklist above, applied to your business. For anyone starting a contracting business who wants it set up right before the first job, not untangled at tax time.
- A call with us about your business: your trade, your province and how you plan to work.
- A written start-up plan for you: GST/HST, bank and card setup, records, vehicle log, WCB/WSIB coverage, subcontractors, and the deadlines in your first year.
- One follow-up question afterwards, answered through your Brian portal.
Sign up for monthly bookkeeping within 90 days and the full $149 comes off your first invoice.
What the session is not: it doesn't include bookkeeping, filing a return, or ongoing advice. On sole proprietorship or incorporation we explain the general trade-offs; it is not legal or tax advice for your situation, and for that you should speak to a lawyer or accountant.
When the work picks up
Monthly bookkeeping built for contractors
Every account reconciled to your actual statement each month, GST/HST kept ready to file, and the tools contractors use every day:
Quotes, deposits and progress billing
Quote the job, take a deposit, bill as the work goes, and see what is still owed.
Job tracking
Every job in one place, from the quote to the final invoice.
Subcontractor GST/HST checks
We check the GST/HST numbers your subs give you before you claim the tax back.
Plans start at $199/month. Every plan includes everything; what you pay depends on the size of your business.