Bigger projects expose weak books fast. Contractors who get organized now will be ready when bids open.
THE REALITY
Public money has rules. Most contractors aren’t ready.
Public construction contracts require clean books, certified payroll, and documented subcontractors — before a single brick is laid.
100%
required
No clean books, no bond
Surety companies typically require auditable financial statements. Contractors with messy books may struggle to get bonded — and without a bond, many public contracts are off the table.
1099
compliance
Poor sub tracking creates expensive problems
Missing W-9s, incorrect TINs, and incomplete 1099 filings can lead to backup withholding, IRS notices, and year-end headaches that eat into your project profit.
$0
visibility
Bidding blind
Without job costing, you don't know if a project made or lost money until it's done. You can win the contract and lose the profit.
3→30
crew growth
Payroll scales fast on public work
Crews grow quickly. From 3 to 30 in weeks. Late 941 filings, missed certified payroll reports, and misclassified workers create compliance risk fast.
SmartBook Contractor
Bookkeeping for bonding, bidding, payroll, and job costing.
Built for RGV contractors who want clean books, organized payroll, 1099 tracking, and project-level numbers before public work opens. You build. We handle the numbers.
Job Costing by Project
Track labor, materials, and sub costs per project. Know which jobs make money.
Payroll That Scales
From 3 to 30. Weekly payroll, 941s, W-2s, certified reports — handled.
1099 & Sub Tracking
Every sub documented and filed. No missing W-9s, no year-end surprises.
Bond-Ready Financials
Books formatted the way surety companies expect. Get bonded. Bid bigger.
P&L by Project
Monthly profit & loss per job. See what's making money and what's not.
Tax Coordination
CPA-ready package at year-end. No scrambling. Everything organized.
Why Contractor Books Break During Public Work
Before and after clean books.
This is what changes when your numbers are organized.
SmartBook Contractor Plans
Bookkeeping & Payroll.
Built for Contractors.
We handle your books, payroll, tax filings, and job costing every month — so you can focus on the jobsite, not the paperwork.
All plans are month-to-month · No contracts · Cancel anytime
Essential
For solo contractors and small crews who need clean books and compliant payroll to start bidding on bond work.
Bookkeeping
- Monthly bookkeeping & reconciliation
- Basic job costing (single project)
Payroll & Compliance
- Payroll processing (up to 10 employees)
- 941 quarterly filings + W-2s
- 1099 tracking & filing for every sub
Growth
For general contractors running multiple projects who need a dedicated bookkeeper, job costing per project, and full payroll management.
Bookkeeping
- Everything in Essential
- Multi-project job costing & tracking
- Progress billing reconciliation
- Monthly P&L by project
Payroll & Compliance
- Certified payroll reports
- Sales tax compliance
Your Team
- Dedicated bookkeeper assigned to you
Premium
For established contractors managing 7-figure public contracts who need unlimited payroll, tax coordination with their CPA, and priority support.
Bookkeeping
- Everything in Growth
- Cash flow forecasting by project
- Bond compliance document prep
Payroll & Compliance
- Unlimited employees & subcontractors
- Tax coordination with your CPA
Your Team
- Priority response + quarterly strategy call
- Year-end CPA-ready package
Need a books cleanup first? One-time setup starts at $1,500.
SmartBook Growth costs less than 1% of a single school contract.
Many public construction opportunities require bonding, clean financials, and organized documentation before approval. Contractors with messy books may struggle to get bonded, price jobs accurately, or respond quickly when bids open.
The question isn’t whether you can afford a bookkeeper — it’s whether you can afford to lose the biggest opportunity in 20 years.
COMMON QUESTIONS
What contractors are asking right now.
The bond passed. Here's what you need to know before you call us.
Get Your Free Contractor Bond Readiness Plan.
A personalized checklist to help you understand what your books need before bonding, bidding, or scaling for public project work.
What your books need before bonding
What surety companies typically look for and where most contractor books fall short.
Payroll & 1099 compliance checklist
Common filing gaps, W-9 tracking, and certified payroll requirements for public work.
Job costing setup map
How to track labor, materials, and sub costs per project so you know which jobs make money.
15-minute readiness call
Optional call with our team. We'll walk through your situation and recommend next steps.
We'll send your plan by email and text. No spam. No obligation. Your info is safe — we never sell your data.
The bond passed. Public work is coming.
Clean books help contractors move faster, bid smarter, and avoid financial chaos. One call. 15 minutes. We'll walk through your situation.
About SmartBook Contractor
SmartBook Contractor is a bookkeeping and payroll service by National Bookkeeping Company, located at 315 W Nolana Ave, Suite G, McAllen, Texas 78504. We specialize in construction bookkeeping, job costing, 1099 subcontractor tracking, certified payroll, and surety-ready financial reports for contractors in McAllen, Edinburg, Mission, Pharr, Weslaco, and across the Rio Grande Valley. Our services help RGV contractors prepare for public construction contracts, including McAllen ISD bond projects, by delivering clean, auditable financial statements that surety companies require for performance and payment bonds. We work with QuickBooks Online and Sage 50, serve clients in English and Spanish, and offer month-to-month plans with no contracts. Plans start at $850 per month for solo contractors and small crews, with dedicated bookkeeper options starting at $1,200 per month.