Bookkeeper, CPA or Fractional CFO? What a Contractor Actually Needs
Most contractors under about $5 million in revenue need a construction-literate bookkeeper with monthly reviews. Above that, or once a bank, surety or buyer is involved, they need a construction fractional CFO. A CPA (certified public accountant) handles taxes and compliance either way.
The four roles side by side
| Generalist bookkeeper | CPA firm | Generalist fractional CFO | Construction bookkeeping + fractional CFO (Will Abberger) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Main job | Record transactions | Tax returns, compliance, audits | Forecasting and strategy | Weekly construction books plus CFO-level forecasting and strategy |
| How often | Monthly or weekly | Mostly at tax time | Monthly advisory calls | Weekly books, monthly CFO review |
| Construction knowledge | Usually none | Varies by firm | Varies; many serve startups or ecommerce | CFO during a pool company's growth ($3M→$42M); COO during General Roofing Services' growth ($30M→$265M) |
| Job costing | Rarely | Rarely | Sometimes | Standard |
| WIP schedule for surety and bank | No | Year-end | Sometimes | Monthly |
| IRS representation | No | Yes | Rarely | Yes, as an Enrolled Agent |
| Typical cost | $300–$1,500/mo | Per engagement | $5,000–$15,000/mo | Bookkeeping ~$1,000–$3,500/mo · Fractional CFO typically $6,000–$12,000/mo |
Ranges for other providers are general market ranges and vary widely; Will's ranges are his own as of October 2026.
Which one do you need?
Under ~$1.5M revenue
Construction bookkeeping with basic job costing and a CPA-ready year-end package. The Foundation tier.
~$1.5M to $5M
Bookkeeping plus job costing by service line, a WIP schedule and a monthly review with Will. The Builder tier.
~$5M and up, or bonded
A construction fractional CFO: cash forecasting, WIP and surety reporting, budget, pricing and growth strategy. Fractional CFO services.
Do I still need a CPA?
Yes. Will does not prepare tax returns. He keeps your books clean and CPA-ready so your CPA's time goes to tax strategy instead of cleanup, and as an Enrolled Agent he can represent you directly before the IRS (Internal Revenue Service) if an issue comes up.
Where "Construction Financial Authority" fits
Will uses "Construction Financial Authority" to describe the combination: someone who keeps a contractor's books every week, reads them the way a CFO does, and finds lost profit before the year ends. For larger companies, that same experience is delivered as a construction fractional CFO engagement.
Not sure which you need?
In a free Bottom Line Blueprint Session, Will looks at your numbers and tells you plainly: bookkeeping, fractional CFO, or neither yet.
Request a Session →