--- title: "Contractor Accountant: CPA for Incorporated Trades" url: https://www.everstonecpa.com/contractor-accountant description: "Corporate tax, bookkeeping and payroll for incorporated contractors and trades — T2, T5018, GST and year-end from one CPA firm; ask for a quote first." type: service-or-info updated: 2026-10-08 summary: "A contractor accountant handles the tax side of running an incorporated trade or consulting business: the T2 corporate return , GST filings, payroll if there are employees, and the yearly salary-versus-dividend decision. EverStone works with incorporated contractors across BC online, confirming a fixed fee in writing after we review your enquiry." faq_count: 7 publisher: EverStone CPA Inc., a Chartered Professional Accountant firm registered with CPA British Columbia and CPA Alberta service_area: British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario and Manitoba language: en-CA contact: info@everstonecpa.com · https://www.everstonecpa.com/book-online --- [Home](https://www.everstonecpa.com/) For Contractors Trades & construction · Fraser Valley # The Accountant for *Incorporated Contractors* Updated 8 October 2026 You’re on site all day, not chasing receipts. EverStone CPA looks after the corporate tax, T5018s, GST and books for contractors and trades across Abbotsford and the Fraser Valley, at fixed fees quoted up front. See [what it costs](https://www.everstonecpa.com/pricing). [Get My Fixed Quote](https://www.everstonecpa.com/book-online) [Ask a Free Question](https://www.everstonecpa.com/quick-question) **Quick answer:** A contractor accountant handles the tax side of running an incorporated trade or consulting business: the [T2 corporate return](https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/tax/businesses/topics/corporations/corporation-income-tax-return.html), GST filings, payroll if there are employees, and the yearly salary-versus-dividend decision. EverStone works with incorporated contractors across BC online, confirming a fixed fee in writing after we review your enquiry. Six leaks that show up on almost every new trades file. If your work is construction specifically, the [construction and trades accounting hub](https://www.everstonecpa.com/construction-trades-accounting) gathers the holdback, [T5018](https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/forms-publications/forms/t5018.html) and job-costing material into a single annotated index. Ways we help contractors ## Four ways to work with us Contractors usually need one of these. Pick the closest and the quote form opens with it selected. ### Annual year-end Your books are kept, by you or a bookkeeper. You need the year-end, the T2 and the T5018 slips filed properly. [Get My Fixed Quote](https://www.everstonecpa.com/book-online?service=corporate-tax#enquiry-form) ### Monthly accounting Books, GST and payroll handled every month, with job income and costs kept where you can see them. [Get My Fixed Quote](https://www.everstonecpa.com/book-online?service=monthly-tax#enquiry-form) ### Catch-up records A year or more behind, receipts missing or GST unfiled. Brought current oldest year first, quoted before we start. [Get My Fixed Quote](https://www.everstonecpa.com/book-online?service=catch-up#enquiry-form) ### Reporting and oversight Job margins, holdbacks and a cash forecast for contractors growing past what the bank balance can tell them. [Get My Fixed Quote](https://www.everstonecpa.com/book-online?service=cfo#enquiry-form) Built for the trades ## An accountant who understands contracting Contracting isn’t like other businesses. Income lands in lumps, materials and equipment eat cash, subcontractors need T5018s, and the CRA looks hard at subcontractor-versus-employee arrangements. Your accounting should be built around that reality, not a generic template. EverStone works with incorporated electricians, plumbers, framers, excavators, finishers and GCs across the Fraser Valley. One CPA handles your year-end, your filings and your questions — all year, for a fixed fee. [Get your fixed quote](https://www.everstonecpa.com/book-online) ### What contractors get The full package, one fixed fee - T2 corporate tax & year-end statements - [T5018](https://www.everstonecpa.com/glossary#t5018) subcontractor information returns - GST/PST filed & reconciled - Bookkeeping that handles job costs & equipment - Salary-vs-dividend planning every year - CRA correspondence handled for you Where contractors leak money ## The problems we fix The patterns we see on almost every new contractor file. ### Missed instalments & deadlines Lumpy income makes tax instalments easy to miss, and CRA interest adds up fast. We plan your instalments around your cash flow. ### Unclaimed write-offs Vehicle, tools, [home office](https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/tax/individuals/topics/about-your-tax-return/tax-return/completing-a-tax-return/deductions-credits-expenses/line-22900-other-employment-expenses/work-space-home-expenses.html), equipment CCA — contractors routinely leave deductions on the table. We capture them properly and defensibly. ### Subcontractor vs. employee risk The CRA reclassifying your subs as employees is expensive. We structure and document arrangements the right way from the start. ### GST filed late or wrong Progress billing and holdbacks make GST messy. We reconcile it to your books and file on schedule, every time. ### Books that don’t match the bank DIY books drift. We keep yours reconciled monthly so year-end is painless and lenders get numbers they trust. ### Paying yourself inefficiently The wrong salary/dividend mix quietly costs thousands a year. We optimize it annually as part of your engagement. How it works ## From first email to filed Three steps, mostly handled online around your schedule. 1 ### Email enquiry Tell us about your operation — structure, subs, backlog. You get a fixed quote in writing. 2 ### We take over the paperwork Books, GST, T5018s, payroll and year-end — handled. You get plain-English updates, not jargon. 3 ### You keep building Filed on time, optimized every year, and a CPA on call when decisions come up. Trades we work with ## Accounting for your trade, specifically Every trade has its own tax quirks. We know them. ### Electricians Tool and equipment write-offs, van/CCA claims, and progress-billing GST handled cleanly — whether you’re a one-owner shop or running a crew. ### Plumbers & HVAC Inventory and parts, warranty holdbacks and multi-job costing tracked properly, so your margins are visible and your GST is right. ### Framers & general contractors Subcontractor T5018s, holdback accounting and sub-versus-employee risk managed — the areas the CRA scrutinizes most in construction. ### Excavation & site work Heavy-equipment depreciation, fuel and repair tracking, and financing structured so big-ticket purchases work in your favour at tax time. ### Painters & finishing trades Materials, mileage between jobs and seasonal cash flow planned around, with instalments timed so lumpy income never catches you out. ### Landscaping & concrete Seasonal payroll, equipment CCA and GST on mixed supply-and-install work handled, and [WorkSafeBC](https://www.everstonecpa.com/glossary#worksafebc) remittances kept on schedule. Know the rule ## The T5018 deadline, explained If more than half your business income comes from construction and you pay subcontractors, the CRA requires an annual **T5018 Statement of Contract Payments**. It’s due **six months after your reporting-period end**, and you can report on either a calendar or fiscal-year basis, whichever suits your books. Miss it and the CRA levies penalties per slip. We track your subcontractor payments through the year, file the T5018 on time, and keep your records ready in case the CRA asks questions — it’s part of your engagement, not an add-on. [Get your T5018 handled](https://www.everstonecpa.com/book-online) ### T5018 at a glance Who: construction businesses paying subcontractors. **Due:** 6 months after your calendar- or fiscal-year reporting period ends · **Penalty:** charged per late or missing slip. ### WorkSafeBC too We keep your WorkSafeBC (WCB) payroll reporting and remittances on schedule alongside your GST and [source deductions](https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/tax/businesses/topics/payroll/remitting-source-deductions.html). Across the valley ## Serving trades across the Fraser Valley Local, and on your schedule — wherever your jobs take you. [Abbotsford](https://www.everstonecpa.com/accountant-abbotsford) [Chilliwack](https://www.everstonecpa.com/accountant-chilliwack) [Langley](https://www.everstonecpa.com/accountant-langley) [Mission](https://www.everstonecpa.com/accountant-mission) [Surrey](https://www.everstonecpa.com/accountant-surrey) [Maple Ridge](https://www.everstonecpa.com/accountant-maple-ridge) Common questions ## Contractor tax FAQ **Do I need to file a T5018 for my subcontractors?** If your business earns more than 50% of its income from construction activities and you pay subcontractors, the CRA requires you to file a T5018 information return each year. We prepare and file T5018s as part of your engagement and keep your subcontractor records CRA-ready. [Ask about your case →](https://www.everstonecpa.com/quick-question) **Should I pay myself salary or dividends from my incorporated contracting business?** Salary versus dividends depends on your income level, CPP goals, mortgage plans and family situation. We run the salary-vs-dividend numbers for your specific case every year as part of your corporate engagement — it’s included, not extra. **Can you help me catch up if I’m behind on bookkeeping or tax filings?** Yes — catch-up work is a big part of what we do for trades. We rebuild your books, prepare outstanding T2s and GST returns, and where appropriate use the CRA [Voluntary Disclosures Program](https://www.everstonecpa.com/glossary#vdp) to reduce penalties. **What does an accountant cost for a contractor in the Fraser Valley?** Corporate tax returns and year-end financial statements are quoted individually, and [monthly bookkeeping](https://www.everstonecpa.com/monthly-bookkeeping-services) starts at $325 per month. Everything is a fixed fee quoted up front. See our pricing page or send an enquiry for your exact number. **Can I write off my truck as a contractor?** Usually, yes, but how depends on ownership and use. A vehicle used for your business can be written off through capital cost allowance (CCA) plus operating costs like fuel, insurance and repairs, pro-rated for business versus personal kilometres. Trucks over a certain weight or clearly work-only vehicles get more favourable treatment. We set up the right method and keep the mileage records the CRA expects, so the deduction sticks. **What is personal services business risk, and does it apply to me?** PSB risk applies where CRA concludes you are effectively an employee of the company you invoice, working through a corporation. The consequences are severe: the small business deduction is denied and most ordinary business expenses become non-deductible. Working for a single client, using their tools and being supervised by them are the classic markers. If that describes your setup, get it reviewed before the next year-end. **How should holdbacks be treated at year-end?** Holdbacks not yet receivable under the contract are generally excluded from income until the certification date passes, which can defer tax on a meaningful amount of revenue. The same principle works in reverse on holdbacks you owe subcontractors. Track them by job with the certification dates recorded — if they are buried in accounts receivable, the timing benefit is lost. ## Accountants for contractors in BC Contractors need an accountant who understands holdbacks, subcontractor slips, equipment and the gap between billing and getting paid. We work with incorporated contractors and trades across BC, including [Surrey](https://www.everstonecpa.com/contractor-accountant-surrey), [Langley](https://www.everstonecpa.com/contractor-accountant-langley), [Chilliwack](https://www.everstonecpa.com/contractor-accountant-chilliwack) and [Maple Ridge](https://www.everstonecpa.com/contractor-accountant-maple-ridge), and online in Alberta, Ontario and Manitoba. Free tools & guides ## Run your own numbers first No sign-up — quick calculators and straight answers from the CPA who does the work. [Calculator Should I incorporate? Estimate the tax you could defer by incorporating in BC.](https://www.everstonecpa.com/incorporation-calculator)[Guide Sole proprietor vs. corporation The honest comparison, and when incorporating pays off.](https://www.everstonecpa.com/incorporation-advice)[Calculator Salary vs. dividends How should you pay yourself? Get a plain-English steer.](https://www.everstonecpa.com/salary-vs-dividends-calculator)[Calculator GST/HST calculator Add or remove GST/HST for any province, instantly.](https://www.everstonecpa.com/gst-hst-calculator)[Guide PSB risk for incorporated contractors →](https://www.everstonecpa.com/blog/personal-services-business-psb-risk-canada)[Guide T5018 subcontractor reporting →](https://www.everstonecpa.com/blog/t5018-subcontractor-reporting-construction) **Fixed fees**Clear, fixed pricing. You approve the fee before any work begins. No surprise bills. **One day**We reply to every enquiry within one business day, usually the same day. **CPA-led**Every file is handled personally by a CPA, never passed to junior staff. **No obligation**Sending an enquiry is free, with zero pressure and no obligation. What clients say ## What owners say about working with us Rated 5.0 on Google across 21 client reviews. ★★★★★ “…We switched to him last year for both our personal and small-business taxes — responsive, knowledgeable and quick.” Heather Powers Verified Google Review ★★★★★ “Personal. Professional. Responsive. Plus he saved me a bundle!” Corrin Skalbeck Verified Google Review ★★★★★ “…He is very knowledgeable and has saved me tons in taxes by restructuring my group of companies — the best accountant I’ve worked with in the last 10 years, after switching from three different firms.” Matt Hildebrandt Verified Google Review [Read our Google reviews](https://www.everstonecpa.com/reviews) Two deductions come up on nearly every contractor file: [home office costs claimed through the corporation](https://www.everstonecpa.com/blog/home-office-deduction-corporation-canada), which works differently from the employee claim, and [the bonus-versus-dividend decision](https://www.everstonecpa.com/blog/bonus-vs-dividend-year-end-canada) once you know what the year actually earned. If you want a low-commitment way to test whether your current setup is working, a [free second opinion on last year’s corporate return](https://www.everstonecpa.com/second-opinion) takes two documents and costs nothing. Locally, see [contractors in Maple Ridge](https://www.everstonecpa.com/contractor-accountant-maple-ridge) for the Ridge Meadows detail. Trades-specific pages set out what changes by province and by local job mix: [trades accountant in Abbotsford](https://www.everstonecpa.com/trades-accountant-abbotsford), [trades accountant in Mission](https://www.everstonecpa.com/trades-accountant-mission), [Aldergrove](https://www.everstonecpa.com/trades-accountant-aldergrove), [Vancouver](https://www.everstonecpa.com/trades-accountant-vancouver). Each covers the sales tax position, subcontractor reporting and holdback timing that apply there. Island contractors have a page of their own: [contractor accounting in Victoria](https://www.everstonecpa.com/contractor-accountant-victoria), with the same T5018, WorkSafeBC and GST/PST handling and no sailing required. If the assessment puts you in the middle or high band, the next step is a written review of your actual arrangement. See [have your PSB exposure reviewed](https://www.everstonecpa.com/blog/personal-services-business-psb-risk-canada). ## Related reading Guides and tools that go deeper on what this page covers. [A tracker for subcontractor payments and T5018 totals](https://www.everstonecpa.com/t5018-subcontractor-tracker) ## Contractor accountants by city Each city page covers the provincial rules that apply to the work there. - **British Columbia:** [Chilliwack](https://www.everstonecpa.com/contractor-accountant-chilliwack), [Langley](https://www.everstonecpa.com/contractor-accountant-langley), [Surrey](https://www.everstonecpa.com/contractor-accountant-surrey), [Maple Ridge](https://www.everstonecpa.com/contractor-accountant-maple-ridge), [Victoria](https://www.everstonecpa.com/contractor-accountant-victoria), [Kelowna](https://www.everstonecpa.com/contractor-accountant-kelowna) - **Alberta:** [Edmonton](https://www.everstonecpa.com/contractor-accountant-edmonton) - **Manitoba:** [Winnipeg](https://www.everstonecpa.com/contractor-accountant-winnipeg) - **Ontario:** [Kitchener-Waterloo](https://www.everstonecpa.com/contractor-accountant-kitchener-waterloo), [Hamilton](https://www.everstonecpa.com/contractor-accountant-hamilton), [London](https://www.everstonecpa.com/contractor-accountant-london-ontario), [St. Catharines](https://www.everstonecpa.com/contractor-accountant-st-catharines), [Windsor](https://www.everstonecpa.com/contractor-accountant-windsor), [Oshawa](https://www.everstonecpa.com/contractor-accountant-oshawa), [Barrie](https://www.everstonecpa.com/contractor-accountant-barrie) - **British Columbia:** [Abbotsford](https://www.everstonecpa.com/trades-accountant-abbotsford), [Mission](https://www.everstonecpa.com/trades-accountant-mission), [Aldergrove](https://www.everstonecpa.com/trades-accountant-aldergrove), [Vancouver](https://www.everstonecpa.com/trades-accountant-vancouver) - **Alberta:** [Calgary](https://www.everstonecpa.com/trades-accountant-calgary) - **Ontario:** [Toronto](https://www.everstonecpa.com/trades-accountant-toronto), [Ottawa](https://www.everstonecpa.com/trades-accountant-ottawa) ### Starting fees Every fee is fixed in writing before any work begins. - **Monthly bookkeeping, GST/PST filing included** from $325 a month - **Payroll, remittances, T4s and ROEs** included in monthly bookkeeping - **Books, payroll and the year-end T2 together** $500–$700 a month - **Corporate year-end and T2 return** fixed fee, quoted in writing - **Personal tax return (T1)** from $125; self-employed or rental $275–$500 - **Catch-up bookkeeping** from $2,200 per year of records - **Controller or CFO support** controller from $1,650, CFO from $2,750 a month - **One-off advice call with a CPA** $225 plus GST [Get My Fixed Quote](https://www.everstonecpa.com/book-online) ## Get your evenings back Send an enquiry. Bring your questions, your backlog, or both. You’ll leave with a clear fixed quote and a plan. [Get My Fixed Quote](https://www.everstonecpa.com/book-online)[Ask a Free Question](https://www.everstonecpa.com/quick-question) **Related:** [For incorporated professionals](https://www.everstonecpa.com/accountant-for-incorporated-professionals) **Related:** [Construction-specific accounting](https://www.everstonecpa.com/construction-accounting-bc) Specialized accounting [Contractor accountant in Surrey](https://www.everstonecpa.com/contractor-accountant-surrey) [Contractor accountant in Langley](https://www.everstonecpa.com/contractor-accountant-langley) Working in the Fraser Valley? We have a page specifically for [equipment-heavy trades in Mission](https://www.everstonecpa.com/equipment-accountant-mission). Building in the eastern valley? See [contractors and trades in Chilliwack](https://www.everstonecpa.com/contractor-accountant-chilliwack). Running a production shop? See [small manufacturers in Maple Ridge](https://www.everstonecpa.com/manufacturer-accountant-maple-ridge). Reading up first? The [If you contract through a company](https://www.everstonecpa.com/contractor-accounting-hub) gathers the classification, subcontractor, equipment and owner-pay guides that apply to an incorporated trade. Bringing on your first crew member? [Hiring an employee vs a contractor](https://www.everstonecpa.com/employee-vs-contractor-hiring-canada) sets out the commitments and the risk on each side. We work with [Langley trades and construction companies](https://www.everstonecpa.com/accountant-langley) — same fixed-fee approach, entirely remote. We work with [Surrey contractors and subtrades](https://www.everstonecpa.com/accountant-surrey) — same fixed-fee approach, entirely remote. ## Talk to a CPA about this One Chartered Professional Accountant, start to finish. Fixed fees, quoted in writing before any work begins, and no obligation from a first conversation. [Get My Fixed Quote](https://www.everstonecpa.com/book-online) [Ask a Free Question](https://www.everstonecpa.com/quick-question) Email info@everstonecpa.com ★★★★★ “…have been completing my bookkeeping, taxes and financials for the last 2 years and they have been amazing. Thank you!” R. H. · Google review --- Source: https://www.everstonecpa.com/contractor-accountant Prices: https://www.everstonecpa.com/pricing · Contact: info@everstonecpa.com · https://www.everstonecpa.com/book-online