Outsourced construction bookkeeping vs an in-house bookkeeper
A fair look at both options for builders running a handful of homes a year.
Short answer: An in-house bookkeeper gives you someone in the office every day, at the cost of a salary, payroll taxes, benefits and the risk of all the knowledge sitting with a single employee. An outsourced construction bookkeeping service gives you construction-specific skills for a flat monthly fee, with less day-to-day presence. For builders with roughly 3 to 15 homes a year, the deciding question is usually who will do job costing, WIP and draws correctly every month.
| Question | In-house bookkeeper | Outsourced (like BrikBooks) |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Salary plus payroll taxes, benefits, software and desk. Check local wage data for your area. | Flat monthly fee. Ours are published on our pricing page. |
| Construction skills | Depends on who you hire. | Should be the whole point. Ask any provider to show sample job cost and WIP reports. |
| Coverage | A single employee. Vacations and turnover leave gaps. | Our team covers for each other, so work does not stop when someone is out. |
| Review | You or your CPA review their work. | Ours: our founder reviews every close. |
| Daily presence | In the office, can handle walk-up tasks. | Remote. Paper still needs to be scanned or photographed. |
| Payment control | Often has payment access. | Ours: you approve and release every payment. |
When in-house makes more sense
If you need someone to answer the phone, chase paperwork on site, run payroll and handle office tasks all day, a hire may fit better. Some builders keep an office manager for that and outsource the job costing and close.
When outsourcing makes more sense
If the real gap is accurate job cost, WIP, draws and a timely close, and you do not have a full-time load of that work, a specialized service is usually easier to manage than training a generalist.
Common questions
Can I keep my office manager and still use you?
Yes. That is a common setup. Your office manager handles bills and paperwork, and we handle coding, reconciling, job cost and the close.
Who does the work at BrikBooks?
Our team does the work. Our founder reviews every close and is your contact.
How do I compare prices fairly?
Add up everything a hire costs, not just the salary, and compare it to a fixed monthly quote for the same scope.
Related
By John Mos, Founder. Updated . We do not give tax or legal advice. Please ask your CPA or attorney.
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