Bookkeeping and Tax for the Trades We Serve

Every trade business earns money in the field and loses track of it in the books. The work is different from trade to trade. The accounting problems are nearly the same: jobs, crews, trucks, equipment, and sales tax that depends on how the work is sold.

Zero Tax keeps the books, runs the payroll filings, and prepares the returns for trade and service businesses. Bookkeeping, tax preparation, and planning come on one flat monthly fee.

What every trade shares

What does every trade business need from its books?

Five things, whatever the trade. Get them right and the tax return writes itself.

Profit by job, so you know which work pays.
Trucks and equipment on the balance sheet, with a depreciation plan.
Sales tax set up for how each job is sold.
Crews paid as employees or subs on purpose, with the paperwork to prove it.
Deposits and prepaid plans booked when the work is done, not when the check clears.

Which trades do we work with?

Each page below covers that trade’s books, its software, and the Florida rules that apply to it.

Landscaping and lawn care: Routes and installs tracked apart, plant sales tax handled right.
Plumbing: Truck stock, counter sales, and repair jobs on one set of books.
HVAC: Maintenance agreements, box trucks, and install margins.
Electrical contractors: Staged billing, retainage, and job costing on commercial work.
Roofing: Insurance jobs, supplements, and storm-year estimates.
Painting: Paint and sundries coded to the job, crews costed by the hour.
Pool service: Route revenue, chemical sales, and commercial accounts.
Pest control: Commercial versus residential sales tax and prepaid plans.
Remodelers and general contractors: Deposits, WIP reports, and the right contract method.
Commercial cleaning: Taxable contracts, part-time crews, and contract margins.

Do you work with businesses outside Tampa?

Yes. Our office is in Tampa, and we work with trade and service businesses across Florida and beyond. The books, payroll, and federal returns work the same anywhere. The Florida rules on these pages apply to Florida businesses. Outside Florida, we check your state’s rules before we quote.

Who does the work?

Greg Neilsen, our tax expert, holds a law degree and a master’s in tax law (LLM). He reviews every return before it is filed.

The books, payroll, and filings run through our team in the Tampa office. The person who closes your month is the person who answers your question. We answer or call back within 24 hours.

What does it cost?

One flat monthly fee covers bookkeeping, tax preparation, and planning. Plans start at $750 a month. The fee is set after we have seen the business and the state of the books, and you get it in writing before any work starts.

QUESTIONS OWNERS ASK

Questions trade business owners ask us

Do you only work with contractors?

No. We work with trade and service businesses: the ten trades on this page, plus route and field-service businesses that run the same way. If you have crews, trucks, and jobs, the fit is usually good.

My trade is not listed. Can you still help?

Probably. The pages cover the trades we see most. The accounting problems repeat across field businesses, so a fifteen-minute call will tell us both.

What software do you work with?

QuickBooks Online for the books, Gusto for payroll, and Ramp for cards and expenses. We connect field software like Jobber, Housecall Pro, and ServiceTitan instead of replacing it.

What happens on the first call?

Fifteen minutes with Greg. Tell us about the business, the crews, and the state of the books. You leave knowing what we would handle and what it would cost.

Is the price really flat?

Yes. One monthly fee, set after we have seen the books, in writing before any work starts. Plans start at $750 a month.

Free Consultation

Get answers before the next deadline.

One free 15-minute call with Greg. Bring your questions. Leave knowing what Zero Tax would handle for your business and what it would cost.

Book a free 15-minute call

No pressure, no obligation. Just clarity.