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Bookkeeping for Painting Contractors

Published October 2026 | By Ray Chowdhury, CPA & CTRC

Painting businesses often look busy and profitable until the season ends and the bank balance says otherwise. Job-level bookkeeping shows which jobs actually made money.

Cost every job

Assign paint, primer, tape, rentals, and labor hours to each job. Comparing each job's cost to its bid shows whether your pricing works for interiors, exteriors, and commercial work. Our contractor bookkeeping guide covers job costing basics.

Materials: watch for leakage

Leftover paint carried to the next job, supply-store runs on the wrong card, and returns that never get credited all distort job costs. Use one business card for supplies and note the job on each receipt.

Deposits and progress payments

Record deposits against the job and track the remaining balance. Larger projects with progress billing need a simple schedule so nothing goes uninvoiced. See invoice tracking tips.

Crews and subcontractors

If you pay helpers or other painters, get a completed taxpayer ID form before the first payment. Starting with payments made in 2026, the federal information reporting threshold for contractors is $2,000 per payee. Workers you direct and schedule may be employees rather than contractors, so review the difference.

Vehicle costs

Driving between jobs and to supply stores is deductible business use. If you use the standard mileage rate, the 2026 rate is 72.5 cents per mile for January through June and 76 cents per mile from July 1. Keep a log. See how to track business mileage.

Plan for the slow season

Exterior work slows in winter. Set aside a portion of summer revenue to cover overhead and estimated taxes through the slower months.