Tennessee · Construction Accountants
Find a Construction Accountant in Tennessee
Accountants and bookkeepers who understand job costing, work-in-progress reporting, and the cash-flow rhythm of construction work. Compare specialists who won't need a crash course in your industry. Serving businesses across Tennessee — Nashville and Memphis anchor Tennessee's accounting bench across healthcare, music & entertainment, logistics, and automotive.
Why Tennessee clients hire construction cpas
Local context for construction accountants in Tennessee
Dominant industries statewide
- Healthcare
- Music & entertainment
- Logistics & distribution
- Automotive manufacturing
- Tourism
Tennessee tax climate
Tennessee has no state personal income tax (Hall Tax repealed 2021). The franchise & excise (F&E) tax applies to most businesses at 6.5% of net earnings plus a 0.25% franchise tax on net worth. Sales tax averages around 9.55% combined — among the highest in the country.
When to hire
- You can't tell which jobs are actually profitable until they're finished
- A bonding company or lender is asking for a WIP schedule
- Retainage, change orders, or progress billing are tracked in spreadsheets
- You're managing certified payroll for prevailing-wage jobs
- Subcontractor 1099s, lien waivers, or COIs are falling through the cracks
What they do
- Job costing by project, phase, and cost code
- Work-in-progress (WIP) schedules for bonding and lending
- AIA-style progress billing and retainage tracking
- Certified payroll and prevailing-wage compliance
- Equipment depreciation, Section 179, and multi-state contractor tax
Typical fees
What it costs
Low end
$750
per month
High end
$4,000
per month
Notes
Job-costed bookkeeping alone typically runs $750–$1,800/mo. Add WIP schedules and bonding-ready reporting and expect $1,800–$4,000/mo. Tax return preparation is usually quoted separately, often $2,000–$6,000/year.
Compare
Construction Accountant vs General Small-Business Accountant
| Factor | Construction Accountant | General Small-Business Accountant |
|---|---|---|
| Job costing | Core deliverable, by job/phase/cost code | Rarely offered |
| WIP schedules | Standard for bonding/lending clients | Not typically built |
| Certified payroll | Handles prevailing-wage compliance | Usually unfamiliar |
| Retainage tracking | Tracked separately on AR/AP | Often lumped into revenue |
| Software fluency | QuickBooks Contractor, Sage, Foundation | Generic QuickBooks Online |
Questions to ask
- Do you build WIP schedules that tie out to the P&L?
- Which construction accounting software have you actually used — QuickBooks Contractor, Sage 100, Foundation?
- Can you handle certified payroll and prevailing-wage reporting?
- How do you track retainage on both AR and AP?
- Have you prepared financials a bonding company or bank has accepted?
- How do you handle multi-state jobs and sales/use tax on materials?
Red flags
- Doesn't know what a WIP schedule is or why bonding companies need one
- Never job-costs — reports revenue and expense at the company level only
- No experience with certified payroll or prevailing wage
- Can't explain the difference between percentage-of-completion and completed-contract methods
- Treats retainage as regular revenue instead of tracking it separately
Documents to prepare
- Current job list with contract values and percent complete
- Last 12 months of job-cost reports or spreadsheets, however rough
- Bonding company or lender reporting requirements, if any
- Certified payroll reports for any prevailing-wage jobs
- Subcontractor W-9s, COIs, and lien waiver tracking
By city
Construction Accountants in Tennessee in major U.S. cities
Related
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Construction Accountants serving Tennessee
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FAQ
Construction Accountants in Tennessee — common questions
How much does construction accountants cost in Tennessee?+
Tennessee construction accountants typically charge $750–$4,000 per month. Job-costed bookkeeping alone typically runs $750–$1,800/mo. Add WIP schedules and bonding-ready reporting and expect $1,800–$4,000/mo. Tax return preparation is usually quoted separately, often $2,000–$6,000/year.
Do I need a Tennessee-licensed CPA?+
For Tennessee state filings, your preparer should hold a CPA license from the Tennessee Board of Accountancy or be an Enrolled Agent. Out-of-state pros can prepare your federal return but should not sign as a CPA on Tennessee returns. Tennessee has no state personal income tax (Hall Tax repealed 2021).
What is a WIP schedule and why does my contracting business need one?+
A work-in-progress schedule compares revenue earned to revenue billed on each open job, showing over- or under-billing. Bonding companies, banks, and sureties require one for any contractor seeking bonding capacity or a credit line.
How much does construction accounting typically cost?+
Job-costed monthly bookkeeping runs roughly $750–$1,800/month for smaller contractors. Adding WIP reporting, bonding support, and CFO-level oversight pushes that to $1,800–$4,000/month depending on job volume and complexity.
Do I need certified payroll help?+
If you work on any federally funded project (Davis-Bacon) or state prevailing-wage job, yes — certified payroll (WH-347 or state equivalent) is a compliance requirement, not optional reporting.
What's the difference between percentage-of-completion and completed-contract accounting?+
Percentage-of-completion recognizes revenue as work progresses and is required for most larger or longer-duration contracts. Completed-contract defers recognition until the job finishes and is generally limited to smaller contractors under IRS gross-receipts thresholds. A construction accountant can confirm which applies to you.
Can a construction accountant help with sales tax on materials?+
Yes. Sales and use tax treatment on materials varies by state and by contract type (lump-sum vs. separated), and it's a common area where contractors get it wrong. A specialist structures invoicing to stay compliant.
Construction CPAs by city in Tennessee
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