Bookkeeping for painting contractors
A painting company lives on job margins: paint and supplies, crew hours and the deposit collected before the first coat. Mispar assigns costs to jobs, tracks deposits and progress billing, reconciles crew payroll and subcontractor payments, and prepares monthly books in your own QuickBooks Online or Xero file. Plans start at $229/mo.
Best for: Residential and commercial painters, finishing and drywall crews and small painting companies with employees or subcontractors.
By job
Job costs
Tracked
Deposits
Matched
Crew pay
Documented
Subcontractors
Where painting contractor books usually go wrong
- Paint and supplies bought without job coding.
- Crew pay not tied to the job.
- Deposits recorded as income before work.
How Mispar keeps your painting company books clean
Industry-specific accounts and categorization, with the reporting scope agreed before work starts.
Job costing
Assign paint, supplies, crew labor and equipment rental to the job they belong to, so each quote can be compared with what the job actually cost.
Deposits and progress billing
Track customer deposits and invoices on larger jobs, so what has been billed, collected and still owed is visible on one list.
Supply store accounts
Match paint and supply store statements to your records so returns, credits and job charges land on the right job.
Crew payroll and subcontractors
Reconcile crew wages and employer costs to payroll reports, and keep subcontractor payments organized by person for review with your CPA.
Vehicles and equipment
Separate trucks, sprayers and ladders from everyday costs, and keep vehicle loans with principal and interest apart.
Insurance and licenses
Keep insurance premiums and licenses categorized, so recurring and seasonal costs are not lost in a general expense line.
Reports a painting contractor can use
- Job profit with paint, labor and supplies.
- Crew payments by person.
- Open deposits.
A simple, predictable process
From kickoff to your first clean close, here is exactly what happens.
Review how you quote and bill
We look at your estimates, deposit habits and invoicing to decide how jobs are set up in the books.
Set up jobs and cost categories
Jobs and cost categories are set up in your QuickBooks Online or Xero file.
Reconcile each month
Bank and card activity, supplier statements, payroll and subcontractor payments are reconciled.
Deliver monthly statements
Monthly statements arrive ready for your CPA, with a list of jobs needing your input.
Illustrative example
A homeowner pays a deposit before a job and the balance after the final walk-through. Recording the deposit against the job keeps the open balance clear and avoids counting the same job as new revenue twice. This is an illustration of the method, not a customer case or a guarantee.
Painting Contractors bookkeeping — your questions
Can you track profit per painting job?
Yes, when costs can be tied to jobs. We set up job tracking and tell you where the source records, such as unassigned supply purchases, limit accuracy.
How are subcontractor payments handled?
We record them by person and keep the totals organized for review with your CPA. We do not give tax or legal advice on classification.
What about customer deposits?
Deposits are tracked against the job and reconciled to invoices, so you can see what has been collected and what remains.
Can you work from my supply store statements?
Yes. We match statements and receipts to your records so returns and credits are not missed.
Can you track paint cost by job?
Yes. Material receipts are coded to each job.
Can you set up jobs in my existing QuickBooks file?
Yes. We add job tracking to your own QuickBooks Online or Xero file, so past records stay intact and new jobs are tracked consistently from the start date we agree.
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