{"id":5325,"date":"2018-08-17T16:56:35","date_gmt":"2018-08-17T15:56:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sagestaging.wpengine.com\/en-gb\/blog\/?p=5202"},"modified":"2026-01-29T10:33:13","modified_gmt":"2026-01-29T10:33:13","slug":"business-accounts-builder","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/business-accounts-builder\/","title":{"rendered":"How to run your business accounts as a builder"},"content":{"rendered":"<header class=\"entry-header has-dark-background-color entry-header--has-illustration entry-header--has-illustration--generic\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-header__row row align-center\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-lg-7 col-xlg-6 entry-header__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"component component-single-header\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"entry-header__misc text--subtitle text--uppercase text--small\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/category\/money-matters\/\" class=\"entry-header__link\">Money Matters<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"entry-title-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"entry-title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tHow to run your business accounts as a builder\t\t\t\t\t<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"entry-header__description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t<div class=\"single-post-details container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"col\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2018-08-17T16:56:35+01:00\">17 August, 2018<\/time><\/span><span class=\"reading-time\"> min read<\/span>\n\t\t<button\n\t\t\ttype=\"button\"\n\t\t\tclass=\"social-share-button button button--icon button--secondary js-social-share-button\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-title=\"How to run your business accounts as a builder\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-url=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/business-accounts-builder\/\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-text=\"Please read this interesting article\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__share-label\">Share<\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__copy-label\" hidden>Copy Link<\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__copy-tooltip\" aria-hidden=\"true\" hidden>Copied<\/span>\n\t\t<\/button>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/header>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-post-author has-dark-background-color alignfull\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"col\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"co-authors\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-author-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<a class=\"entry-author\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/author\/keirthomasbryant\/\">\n\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2025\/06\/keir-short-hair-350x350.jpg\" class=\"entry-author__image\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2025\/06\/keir-short-hair-350x350.jpg 350w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2025\/06\/keir-short-hair.jpg 760w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 40px) 100vw, 40px\" \/>\t\t\t\t<span class=\"entry-author__name\">Keir Thomas-Bryant<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>For those operating in the construction industry, whether just starting out or as an established small or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/size\/medium-sized-business\/\">medium-sized business<\/a>, managing business accounts can often takes a back seat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is an environment where so much effort goes into securing work, maintaining professional contacts and actually getting the job done to your client\u2019s (and your own) satisfaction. The impulse to handle your accounts on an ad-hoc basis might be a short-term time saver but in reality, it can limit your potential for growth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This guide is for anyone working as a builder and looking for ways to nail best practice in managing business accounts without adding lots of hours to the working day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-laying-the-foundations-for-accuracy-with-your-business-accounts\"><strong>Laying the foundations for accuracy with your business accounts<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019ve decided the time to tidy up your accounts is now, it\u2019s possible you\u2019ve been scraping through to stay in step with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/limited-company-formation\/overview\">legal requirements<\/a> for maintaining a business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Spreadsheets, paper invoices and digital statements could be held in various locations, so it\u2019s worth taking a step back to assess exactly what you need from your accounting process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Look at the records you\u2019ve been keeping so far and think about:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Estimating<\/strong>. What degree of detail do you go to in breaking down estimates?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Tracking<\/strong>. How long do you keep records for? What data affects your estimates?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Project management<\/strong>. What types of jobs do you commonly take on?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Correspondence<\/strong>. Who needs to be updated on projects most often?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Compliance<\/strong>. What reports do you need to run most commonly?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>This might also be a good time to take a fresh look at the work you\u2019re doing and identify areas where you perform especially well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With a more streamlined system of accounting in place, you may be able to capitalise on your experience here and specialise to improve your operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-accounts-for-construction-workers-at-every-level\"><strong>Accounts for construction workers at every level<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Having identified the information you need to access most, establish the context in which this information is accessed. Most construction firms track their business accounts both on an overall organisation level and by individual projects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Overall accounts take into consideration the administrative costs of running the business, acquiring work, premises, training and any other expenditure that is not directly incurred as part of a project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Tracking the finances of each individual project is known as construction accounting, or project accounting in a wider context.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>By treating projects as standalone accounting jobs, you effectively ring-fence the finances allocated to a given project and allow them to make as much use of their budget as possible without needing constant oversight from the central accounts administrator.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Obviously, the income from individual jobs covers the larger-scale expenditures incurred at the organisation level, so by isolating the finances of each job, you can pinpoint the jobs that are bringing you the most return and focus future efforts on them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-online-accounting-software-for-builders\"><strong>Online accounting software for builders<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>This might seem like a lot to bear in mind, but it\u2019s really not if you\u2019ve got the right system in place. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/accounting-software\/\">Online accounting software<\/a> helps builders focus on the job at hand by providing a secure cloud-based means of running business accounts on the go.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><mark class=\"highlight-and-share\">The advantages of using <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/accounting-software\/\">cloud-based software<\/a> lie in the way it allows you to fit accounting around the job<\/mark> and rest on three main pillars:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-1-practicality\"><strong>1. Practicality<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>In this context, it means being able to perform the tasks you outlined earlier as quickly and easily as possible. You need to be able to access the same central database for all your accounts, whether for your organisation or an individual project, wherever you are.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Cloud software means you can run reports for clients, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/sage-business-cloud\/payroll\/\">process payroll<\/a> or review your finances without having to allocate time to sitting at the office computer or pouring over spreadsheets, safe in the knowledge that your data is secure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-2-accessibility\"><strong>2. Accessibility<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This is a much sought-after software feature among those whose first love is not accounting. Ideally, you want little to no training time expended before you\u2019re able to effectively use a software package. You also want one unified, familiar interface for any function you need to perform.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-3-adaptability\"><strong>3. Adaptability<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This means just that, being able to move with the times and still perform essential tasks without overhauling your entire accounts system. Legislation, both for the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/sage-business-cloud\/accounting\/industry\/construction\/\">construction industry<\/a> itself and for running a business, changes quickly and you need an accounts package that will update when the law does.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-time-is-money-so-spend-yours-wisely\"><strong>Time is money, so spend yours wisely<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Keeping clearer, more defined records means you often find yourself with new insights into the way you\u2019re spending your own time. Don\u2019t sit on this knowledge, use it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Take a look at the ways in which you\u2019re getting out there to win new work. Is the greatest expenditure of effort actually translating to the most profitable contracts? If not, reallocate the time you spend networking based on the information at your fingertips.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Greater access to reporting in more detail also gives you more info on your staff. Who performs best on certain teams or on certain tasks? Use this information to flesh out your hiring procedure in future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-help-build-careers-and-develop-your-people\"><strong>Help build careers and develop your people<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>On the topic of hiring, the construction industry is unique in that staff turnover is directly tied to the level of investment in your area. <mark class=\"highlight-and-share\">Skilled, reliable staff are generally in high demand in areas with high-value development<\/mark>, while quieter areas with steadier but smaller-scale work attract a different kind of applicant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Combining the knowledge of your patch you\u2019ve gained from your years in the business with the reporting power of a good software package will let you hire not just people to fill roles you need now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can plan ahead to create a more detailed person specification and develop the managers and foremen of the future without needing to hire all over again in a few years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"single-cta gated-content\">\n\t<div class=\"single-cta__positioner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__wrapper has-dark-background-color\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"single-cta__title h3\">10 things to look for in small business accounting software<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Using the right technology can give you the time and space to make your business a success. This guide offers 10 points to consider when looking for the right accounting software for your company.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\t\t\t\thref=\"#gate-20bdb5ca-e469-46ca-aff9-2d563f2d983b\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"single-cta__button button button--primary\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t>Get your free guide<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"999\" height=\"666\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2018\/06\/SAGE_MSA_051217_BB_268_All-Uses.jpg\" class=\"single-cta__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2018\/06\/SAGE_MSA_051217_BB_268_All-Uses.jpg 999w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 33vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"single-cta\">\n\t<div class=\"single-cta__positioner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__wrapper has-dark-background-color\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"single-cta__title h3\">Subscribe to the Sage Advice newsletter<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Join more than 500,000 UK readers and get the best business admin strategies and tactics, as well as actionable advice to help your company thrive, in your inbox every month.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\t\t\t\thref=\"#gate-b1a63862-3fa0-4a5e-bb67-c76b88bbc6b8\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"single-cta__button button button--primary\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t>Subscribe now<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1440\" height=\"810\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1073797282-1-1440x810.jpg\" class=\"single-cta__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1073797282-1-1440x810.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 33vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>For those operating in the construction industry, whether just starting out or as an established [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":280,"featured_media":3337,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_sage_video":false,"post_featured_image_hide":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[125],"business_type":[4,3],"lilypad":[],"context":[],"industry":[55],"persona":[71,73,74],"imagine_tag":[77,82,96,109],"coauthors":[369],"class_list":["post-5325","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-money-matters","tag-workplace-technology","business_type-small-business","business_type-medium-sized-business","industry-construction"],"sage_meta":{"region":"en-gb","author_name":"Keir Thomas-Bryant","featured_image":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2017\/12\/GettyImages-740535689_super.jpg","imagine_tags":{"77":"Accounting software","82":"Construction","96":"Medium businesses","109":"Small 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