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Accountant for Construction Firms
Fixed fee, online accountants for building contractors, trades companies and developers
Construction companies juggle CIS, the VAT reverse charge, retentions and site payroll. We file your CIS returns every month, apply VAT correctly, help you get gross payment status and keep a close eye on cash flow, all for one agreed monthly fee.
- Monthly CIS returns filed
- VAT reverse charge handled
- Gross payment status support
- No hidden costs
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In short
What does an accountant for construction firms do?
An accountant for construction firms handles the tax rules specific to building work. They run the Construction Industry Scheme for contractors and subcontractors, apply the VAT domestic reverse charge, help firms qualify for gross payment status, manage payroll for site staff, track retentions and stage payments, and prepare the company's accounts and tax returns.
- CISVerifications, deductions and monthly returns
- VATReverse charge applied on every invoice
- Cash flowRetentions, stage payments and CIS refunds
- Accounts and taxCompany or sole trader returns filed
Construction tax issues we take care of
Building work has more tax rules than almost any other industry. These are the ones construction companies ask us about most.
CIS as a contractor
Verifying subcontractors, making the right deductions, issuing statements and filing your monthly CIS return on time, every month.
Construction Industry SchemeCIS as a subcontractor
Tax taken from your payments is reclaimed through your tax return or offset against your company's payroll, so your cash isn't tied up.
Gross payment status
Get paid without CIS deductions. We check you meet HMRC's business, turnover and compliance tests and make the application.
Gross CIS statusVAT reverse charge
Most building work between VAT-registered businesses uses the domestic reverse charge. We make sure your invoices and returns apply it correctly.
VAT returnsCash flow and retentions
Stage payments, retentions and late-paying clients can squeeze cash. We give you a clear view of what's owed and what's coming in.
Management accountsWorkers and payroll
Site staff on payroll, subcontractors on CIS, and getting employment status right, so you avoid costly HMRC challenges.
Payroll (PAYE)See construction firm pricing
Our construction packages include monthly CIS returns, set out clearly on one page.
CIS at a glance
The Construction Industry Scheme applies whenever a contractor pays a subcontractor for construction work.
| What happens | Detail |
|---|---|
| Verify each new subcontractor | Before you pay them, to confirm the deduction rate |
| Deduction for registered subcontractors | 20% of the labour element |
| Deduction for unregistered subcontractors | 30% of the labour element |
| Subcontractors with gross payment status | No deduction |
| Monthly CIS return to HMRC | By the 19th of each month. If you made no payments, file a nil return or tell HMRC you're inactive |
| Payment of deductions to HMRC | By the 22nd if paying electronically |
| Payment and deduction statements | Given to each subcontractor within 14 days of the end of the tax month |
Sources: GOV.UK Construction Industry Scheme, GOV.UK VAT domestic reverse charge.
Key figures for construction firms in 2026/27
The rates that shape a construction company's tax bill.
Annual Investment Allowance
Deduct the full cost of vans, plant, tools and machinery from your profits in the year you buy them.
VAT registration
Once taxable turnover passes this in any rolling 12 months. Reverse charge work still counts towards it.
Corporation Tax
19% on profits up to £50,000 and 25% above £250,000, with marginal relief in between.
Employer's National Insurance
Paid on employees' earnings above £5,000 a year. Subcontractors paid under CIS aren't included.
Employment Allowance
Reduces the employer's National Insurance bill for firms with employees other than a sole director.
National Living Wage
The minimum hourly rate for employees aged 21 and over, including site labourers on payroll.
What's included for construction firms
Everything your firm needs, covered by one fixed monthly fee agreed before we start.
Monthly CIS returns
Verifications, deductions, statements and returns filed every month.
Gross payment status
Applications and ongoing checks to stay eligible.
VAT and reverse charge
Quarterly returns with the reverse charge applied correctly.
Site payroll
Weekly or monthly payroll, RTI and pensions for your team.
Accounts and tax
Year-end accounts and Corporation Tax or Self Assessment.
Job and cash reporting
Profit by job, retentions and cash flow forecasts.
Construction firms we work with
From groundworks to finishing trades, these are some of the construction companies that use us as their construction accountant.
- Electrical Contractors
- Plumbing and Heating
- Roofing Companies
- Scaffolding Companies
- Groundworks Companies
- Decorating Firms
- Kitchen and Bathroom
- Window and Door Installers
- Solar Installers
- Renewable Installers
- Joinery Firms
- Flooring Companies
- Demolition Companies
- Property Maintenance
- Landscaping Companies
- Property Developers
Fixed fee accountant for construction firms
Construction work is busy and seasonal, but your accountancy fee shouldn't be. As a fixed fee accountant for construction firms, we agree one monthly price that includes your CIS returns, so a busy month on site never means a bigger bill.
- Monthly CIS returns included
- No charge for questions
- Price agreed before we start
Online accountant for construction firms
You're on site, not in an office. As an online accountant for construction firms, you can send invoices and receipts from your phone, and we're available by phone, email or video, including evenings and Saturdays.
- Send documents from site
- Evening and Saturday availability
- Support anywhere in the UK
Waiting on a CIS refund?
Too much tax taken under CIS ties up your cash. We reclaim overpaid deductions and chase HMRC, so the money comes back to your business.
Construction Firm FAQs
What is the Construction Industry Scheme?
CIS is HMRC's scheme for payments in construction. Contractors deduct tax from subcontractors' payments, usually 20% for registered subcontractors or 30% for unregistered ones, and pass it to HMRC. The deductions count as advance payments towards the subcontractor's own tax and National Insurance.
When is the monthly CIS return due?
Contractors must file a CIS return by the 19th of each month, covering payments made in the tax month to the 5th. Deductions are due by the 22nd if you pay electronically. Late returns attract automatic penalties, even if no tax is due.
How do I get gross payment status?
You need to pass HMRC's business, turnover and compliance tests, including filing returns and paying tax on time. With gross payment status, contractors pay you without deducting CIS tax, which helps cash flow. We check whether you qualify and make the application.
How does the VAT domestic reverse charge work?
For most building services between VAT-registered businesses in CIS, the customer accounts for the VAT instead of the supplier. The supplier's invoice shows that the reverse charge applies. It doesn't apply to end users, such as homeowners, or where the customer isn't VAT registered.
How does a limited company reclaim CIS deductions?
A limited company subcontractor offsets CIS deductions against the PAYE and National Insurance it owes each month, through its payroll submissions. Any unused amount can be reclaimed from HMRC after the tax year. Sole traders reclaim through their Self Assessment return.
Are my subcontractors really self-employed?
It depends on how they work, not just what the paperwork says. Control, the right to send a substitute and who provides the equipment all matter. Getting it wrong can mean backdated PAYE and National Insurance, so we help you check.
Can construction firms claim tax relief on vans and plant?
Usually, yes. The Annual Investment Allowance lets you deduct the full cost of most vans, plant, tools and machinery, up to £1 million a year, from your profits in the year you buy them.
How much does an accountant for construction firms cost?
It depends on your turnover, how many subcontractors and employees you have, and whether you're VAT registered. We charge one fixed monthly fee that includes your CIS returns, agreed before we start. You can compare packages on our construction pricing page.
Talk to an accountant for construction firms
Tell us about your firm and we'll confirm your fixed monthly fee, with no obligation.