Know Exactly
What Every Job
Actually Costs

Enlightened Order brings structured job costing, accurate profitability reporting, and proactive financial advisory to contractors, builders, and project-based businesses across the country.

Request a Financial Clarity Assessment See Our Services
Job #2024-118 — Kitchen Remodel
In Progress
Cost CategoryBudgetActualVariance
Labor — Carpentry$8,400$9,150▲ $750
Materials — Cabinetry$12,200$11,640▼ $560
Subcontractor — Electrical$3,500$3,500— $0
Equipment & Overhead$2,100$2,380▲ $280
Permits & Inspections$800$800— $0
Net Variance (to date)
▲ $470 Over
Illustrative sample — for display purposes only. Individual results vary.
Real-Time Job Visibility
◆General Contractors
◆Specialty Trades
◆Custom Home Builders
◆Restoration & Remodeling
◆Fabricators
◆Service & Maintenance Firms
30+
Jobs tracked simultaneously on average
*Illustrative — results vary
Per-job
P&L delivered every month-end close
100%
Fixed-fee — no hourly billing surprises
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Industries We Serve

Built for Businesses
That Work by the Job

If your profitability lives and dies by how well you track costs at the job level, our services are designed for you.

🏗️
General Contractors
Multi-trade oversight, subcontractor cost tracking, WIP schedules, and project-level P&L reporting for every job you run.
⚡
Specialty Trades
Electricians, plumbers, HVAC, and mechanical contractors who need job-level labor and material tracking to protect their margins.
🏠
Custom Home Builders
Spec builds, custom projects, and land development — with draw schedules, cost-to-complete tracking, and lender-ready reporting.
🔨
Restoration & Remodeling
Insurance restoration and remodel firms managing multiple simultaneous jobs with change orders, supplements, and variable scope.
🔧
Fabricators & Manufacturers
Job shops and custom fabricators who need per-order costing — materials, labor hours, machine time, and overhead allocation.
🛠️
Service & Maintenance
Recurring service businesses where each service contract is its own profit center — landscaping, IT services, janitorial, and more.
The Problem

Why Project-Based Businesses Lose Money Without Knowing It

  • 01
    No Job-Level P&L
    You see company-wide profit, but can't tell which jobs made money and which ones quietly eroded your margins.
  • 02
    Costs Miscategorized or Missed
    Labor hours, subcontractor invoices, and materials coded to the wrong job — making estimates useless for future bids.
  • 03
    No WIP Schedule
    Revenue recognized too early or too late, causing distorted financials that mislead your bonding company and bank.
  • 04
    Cash Flow Surprises
    Projects that look profitable on paper create cash crunches because billing schedules don't match cost timing.
Sample Job Summary
Job #2024-118 — Cost Breakdown
Labor$9,150  (33%)
Materials$11,640  (42%)
Subcontractors$3,500  (13%)
Overhead & Other$3,180  (12%)
Total Job Cost$27,470
Illustrative figures only. Individual project costs vary.
Our Services

The Financial Infrastructure Your Jobs Deserve

We don't just keep your books — we build the reporting systems that help you bid smarter, manage tighter, and close jobs profitably.

01
Financial Clarity Assessment
Required starting point for all new clients. We review your current books, job tracking setup, and financial situation — then deliver a clear recommendation and fixed-fee scope.
Starting Point
02
Foundation: Cleanup & Setup
Configure QuickBooks for proper job cost tracking — class codes, items, subaccounts, and cost categories built correctly from the start. Includes catch-up if needed.
Onboarding
03A
Fundamentals: Monthly Accounting
Every invoice, payroll entry, and subcontractor payment coded to the right job. Clean books month by month with job-level reporting built into the monthly close.
We handle the books
03B
Fractional Controller Services
For contractors who already have a bookkeeper or office manager handling day-to-day entries — and need a controller who reviews their work, owns the close, ensures job costs are captured accurately, assesses internal controls, and stands behind the accuracy of the financials.
For existing accounting staff
04
Tax Services
Business and individual return preparation, equipment depreciation, vehicle deductions, contractor vs. employee classification, accountable plans, and year-round tax planning.
Tax
05
Financial Advisory Projects
Scoped, fixed-fee engagements for specific decisions — job profitability analysis, cash flow modeling, overhead allocation review, or pricing strategy. Available independently.
Advisory
06
Fractional CFO Services
For high-volume contractors or multi-entity operations who need strategic financial partnership — monthly scorecards, job profitability reporting, and prioritized action items. Starting at $3,000/month.
Strategic
Why Enlightened Order

Not just a bookkeeper.
A job cost advisor.

Most bookkeeping services keep your books clean. We build the reporting layer that turns job-level data into decisions.

CapabilityTypical BookkeeperEnlightened Order
Bank reconciliation✓✓ All tiers
Job-level cost codingRarely✓ Core & Concierge
Per-job P&L reports✗✓ Core & Concierge
WIP schedule preparation✗✓ Core & Concierge
Custom job reports & dashboards✗✓ Concierge
Overhead rate analysis✗~ Advisory Project
Cash flow & billing gap modeling✗~ Advisory Project
Tax planning & strategy✗+ Tax Services add-on
Key:  ✓ Included in Core & Concierge  ·  + Available as add-on  ·  ~ Available as Advisory Project  ·  ◆ Collaborate tier (you manage books, we review)
“
On working with contractors

“Contractors almost always know their revenue. What they rarely know is which jobs made money. A company-wide P&L looks fine — but inside it, two or three jobs eroded everything the profitable ones built. Getting job-level visibility isn't just a reporting question. It changes how you bid, how you staff, and what work you take on.”

Katie Vogel
Founder & CEO, Enlightened Order
Service Tiers

Fixed Fees,
No Surprises

All monthly accounting engagements are fixed-fee retainers. All tiers are fixed-fee monthly retainers. Pricing is finalized after the Financial Clarity Assessment based on your job volume, entity complexity, and software setup. Services marked as add-ons or Advisory Projects above are priced separately.

Tier 1 — Fundamentals
Collaborate
You categorize your own transactions — we handle the reconciliations and deliver real financials with a plain-language narrative every month. You stay in control of your books and still get professional numbers you can actually use.
$375–$600
/ month · depending on complexity
  • ◆Bank and credit card reconciliations completed after you categorize
  • ◆Standard financial statements (P&L, Balance Sheet) prepared monthly
  • ◆Plain-language financial narrative — what your numbers mean, not just what they are
  • ◆Delivered within 20 days of receipt of all required information
  • ◆Direct email access · 2 business day response
Most Common for Job Costing
Tier 2 — Fundamentals
Core
You get accurate books, clean financials, and a Monthly Financial Insights Report that tells you what your numbers actually mean — without having to interpret them yourself. Every month, you know where you stand. Every quarter, we talk through it together.
$575–$2,000
/ month · depending on complexity
  • ◆Clean, accurate books every month — we own the full accounting function
  • ◆Every account reconciled so nothing gets missed or misclassified
  • ◆Financial statements in your hands within 15 days of month-end
  • ◆Monthly Financial Insights Report that tells you what your numbers mean
  • ◆Quarterly meeting to review performance and flag what to watch
  • ◆Direct email access · 2 business day response
Tier 3 — Fundamentals
Concierge
Everything in Core — faster, and with more of us. Built for owners who want a real financial partner, not just a service provider.
$900–$2,100
/ month · depending on complexity
  • ◆Everything in Core
  • ◆Financials in your hands within 7 days of month-end — not 15
  • ◆Monthly meetings so nothing waits a quarter to get addressed
  • ◆Reports structured around how your business actually runs, not a generic template
  • ◆A team that flags things before you notice them — not after
  • ◆Priority response · 1 business day
Financial Advisory Projects — When You Need Focused Help
Scoped, fixed-fee engagements for specific job costing decisions. Available independently — no ongoing Fundamentals engagement required.
$1,350–$4,500
fixed fee · scoped per engagement
💰
Job Profitability Analysis
Which jobs are actually making money? We build per-job P&L reporting and identify where margins are being lost across your active portfolio.
Standalone available
📊
Overhead Allocation & Rate Review
Calculate your true overhead burden rate, allocate indirect costs accurately, and validate whether your markup rates are covering all costs.
Standalone available
💵
Cash Flow & Profit Analysis
Revenue looks fine but cash is always tight. We model the billing vs. cost timing gap and build a forecast that shows you what's coming.
Standalone available
📅
Tax Strategy & Planning
Equipment depreciation, vehicle deductions, contractor classification, and accountable plans — year-round planning before the window closes.
Standalone available
📈
Business Valuation
Preparing to sell, seek bonding capacity, or bring on a partner? We establish a clear picture of business value and what moves it.
Standalone available
🚀
Growth & Expansion Planning
Adding a crew, expanding into a new trade, or taking on larger projects? We model the financial impact before you commit.
Standalone available

Pricing is finalized after the Financial Clarity Assessment. Ranges reflect starting points and vary based on job volume, entity count, and software requirements. Pricing is always disclosed clearly before any engagement begins.

Add-On Enhancements

Specific enhancements are added after the Financial Clarity Assessment, based on your situation and Fundamentals tier.

1099 Preparation Accounts Payable Budgeting & Forecasting Payroll Processing Tax Planning & Strategy Inventory Management Accountable Plan Execution Receipt Management Additional Meetings Sales Tax Support
Get Started

Find Out What Your
Jobs Are Actually Worth.

The Financial Clarity Assessment is where every client relationship begins. We'll review your books, your job tracking, and your situation — then tell you exactly what we'd do and what it costs.

Request Financial Clarity Assessment Review Our Services
Related services
Fundamentals: Monthly Accounting →

Monthly accounting built around your business — including job-level reporting and cost tracking.
Financial Advisory Projects →

Project-based analysis of job margins, overhead allocation, and pricing — when you need a deeper look.
Financial Clarity Assessment →

We review your books and situation before recommending any service or fee.
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