You drop off your books. Maybe ping a few emails. Then, months later, a tax bill lands.
No warning. No breakdown. No clue where the numbers came from.
If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone. But you are unprotected.
Most construction and trades businesses in the UK are flying blind because their accountant isn’t really supporting them. They're filing forms, not helping the business move forward.
And that’s not just frustrating. It’s dangerous.
When you’re running a trades business with tight margins, heavy overheads, and unpredictable cashflow, being six months behind on your numbers is like playing darts in the dark.
The Rear-View Mirror Problem
The problem isn’t just how late you find out. It’s how your accountant works.
Most of them are looking in the wrong direction.
A typical year-end accountant is focused on the past.
They total up your year, submit your taxes, and tell you how you did - good or bad - months too late to change anything.
That’s like trying to drive by staring in the rear-view mirror.
You’ll see what went wrong, but only after you’ve hit something.
A proper finance partner gives you a clear windscreen and a working dashboard.
They help you see what’s coming and course-correct before it’s too late.
What Proactive Really Means
A proactive accountant - or even better, a Virtual Finance Director - helps you stay in control.
They don’t just tidy your books. They help you run your business.
Here’s what that looks like in real terms:
Work in Progress (WIP) Tracking
WIP is the value of work you’ve completed but not yet invoiced. Most businesses ignore it or get it wrong - which leads to overstated profits and surprise tax bills. A good accountant will show you what’s tied up in WIP and how it affects your cash and profit in real time.
For one client, we found over £47,000 sitting in WIP that hadn’t been invoiced. On paper, they were profitable - but in reality, they were struggling with cash. A quick fix steadied the business and avoided a spiral.
Job-Level Profitability
It’s not enough to look at total revenue. You need to know - job by job - where you’re making money and where you’re not. If one type of work is losing money every time, you should see it before you quote the next one.
Monthly Cashflow Forecasting
Your bank balance is not a plan. You need a forward view that shows what’s coming in, what’s going out, and where you might fall short. A proactive finance partner makes sure you’re never caught off guard.
Labour Recovery and Overhead Tracking
Are you billing enough to cover all the hours your team works? Are your fixed costs creeping up without you noticing? These questions eat into your profit - and need monthly attention.
Pricing Reviews
A smart finance partner doesn’t just track costs. They help you adjust pricing to keep your margins safe - even when labour and materials fluctuate.
What You Should Be Seeing Monthly
If your accountant or finance partner is doing their job properly, you should be seeing:
No clutter. No guesswork. Just real visibility and control.
A Virtual FD Doesn’t Wait for Year-End
Most accountants focus on keeping HMRC happy. Some go a little further.
But if you want to lead your business with data - not gut feel - you need a Virtual Finance Director.
Here’s the difference:
Think of it this way:
A standard accountant helps you survive.
A VFD helps you grow.
Ask This Question
Want to know if your accountant is actually helping?
Ask them this:
“Can you show me which jobs are actually making money - and which ones aren’t?”
Watch what happens.
If they hesitate, blame your systems, or say “we’ll need to do some digging,” that tells you everything.
A proper accountant - or better yet, a VFD - will already be tracking it.
They’ll know your margins, labour recovery, WIP, and overheads.
And they’ll show it to you in a way that helps you make smart decisions.
Measure Their Impact
Forget your accountant for a second.
What’s changed in your business over the last 12 months because of their input?
Not “they filed on time.”
Not “they sent me a tax summary.”
But real changes - in cash, pricing, profit, or decision-making.
If the answer’s “not much,” then you’re doing this alone - even if you’re paying someone.
Final Takeaway
You wouldn’t keep a foreman who never flagged site issues.
You wouldn’t ignore a cracked foundation or a slow leak that’s getting worse.
So why settle for an accountant who never shows you what’s really going on?
If they’re not helping you control costs, price properly, and plan ahead - they’re just filing forms and ticking boxes.
Expect more.
Ask better questions.
And if they can’t answer, find someone who can.
Your business deserves more than a once-a-year tidy-up.
It deserves support - from someone who’s got your back all year round.
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