How We Help
Most tradies don’t start out thinking of themselves as running a business. You’re focused on the work, not the paperwork, until invoices pile up, the tax bill lands bigger than expected, or you realise you’ve been paying for materials weeks before a client actually pays you.
As your accountant for tradies, we take that pressure off, handling the numbers properly so you can stay focused on the job. We work with tradies across various industries, from someone just starting out as a sole trader, through to an established trade business with a team of subcontractors and employees.
A tradie accountant needs to understand more than just tax returns. Progress payments, subcontractor arrangements, and the gap between buying materials and actually getting paid all affect your cash flow in ways a generic small business accountant might not think to ask about.
We’re accountants for tradies because we’ve built our approach around how trade businesses actually operate day-to-day, not around a template designed for a completely different kind of business.
Good record-keeping throughout the year is what actually makes tax time simple. Chasing up a year’s worth of bank statements and receipts in a panic every October is a common story we hear from new clients, and it’s one of the easiest problems to fix once proper systems are in place.
What We Do
Getting your business structure right matters from the start. We help with sole trader setup for those just getting started, and advise on moving to a company structure as the business grows, takes on staff, or brings on subcontractors of your own.
Bookkeeping is where a lot of tradies lose time they’d rather spend working. We handle bank reconciliations, accounts payable and accounts receivable, and job costing, so you know what each job actually made, not just what came into the bank account that month. We also manage your Business Activity Statement, GST, and superannuation payments, including your own super as a sole trader, which is easy to overlook when you’re the one running the business.
If you pay subcontractors, we prepare your Taxable Payments Annual Report and keep your payroll processing compliant as you take on apprentices or employees. Cash flow management gets specific attention too, particularly around the timing gap between progress payments coming in and materials, fuel and insurance going out, so a slow-paying client doesn’t put the whole business under pressure.
On tax, we focus on legitimate deductions specific to tradies, including tools, safety gear, vehicle expenses and insurance, so your tax bill reflects what you’re actually entitled to claim, not a rough guess at tax time. We can also recommend the right business accounting software for how you actually work, whether that’s invoicing from the ute between jobs or tracking expenses as they happen.
As your business grows, our support grows with it. Regular meetings and ongoing business advisory support, sometimes described as virtual CFO support, help you make informed decisions about pricing, staffing and where the business is actually headed, not just what happened last financial year.
Financial reporting ties all of this together. Rather than just handing you a set of financial statements once a year, we help you understand what your numbers actually mean for the decisions in front of you, whether that’s whether you can afford to take on an apprentice, or whether it’s time to invest in a second vehicle.
Why Choose Us
Good accounting doesn’t just keep you compliant. Done properly, it genuinely helps you keep more of what you earn.
We understand the trade industry specifically, including progress payments, subcontractor arrangements and the cash flow pressure that comes with both
We offer an extensive range of services, from basic bookkeeping through to full business advisory, as your trade business grows
We help you set up the right software and systems from day one, so record keeping isn’t a scramble every tax time
We provide ongoing support rather than a once-a-year conversation, including regular meetings as your business develops
Established in 1993 and still family-owned, we bring decades of experience to tradies building their own business, as a tradie accountant who genuinely understands the trade industry
Testimonials
Posted on GoogleThe Allens Incredible accountants. They just care so much, they go above & beyond. They welcomed us as business rookies, and patiently continue to go beyond the scope of what’s expected to help us. Huge thank you to Heather, Katie and Tea!Posted on GoogleCaitlyn Tremble John, Heather and the entire team at the Garis group have been incredible to deal with. John took the time to sit down with me one on one to help set up as a sole trader and answer all my questions. The team helped me get set up with Xero and are always incredibly responsive and informative when I have queries. They have made my tax returns painless. Thanks for all your help over the past 2 years Garis Team.Posted on GoogleGrace Brayne I scheduled an appointment with The Garis Group for a few weeks out but noticed some issues I might face with *individual* deductions for the upcoming financial year (I was super stressed!). I asked if I could see them sooner, and John responded after hours to fit me in as a new client the next day. Their service exceeded all expectations, and I’ll definitely continue using them.Posted on GoogleAnthony Jovceski Best accounting firm in Newcastle. I've used John and his team for over 5 years with my personal finances and business finances. The Garis Group always exceed my expectations. I'd recommend The Garis Group to anyone looking for a professional firm that go the extra mile. Anthony.Posted on GoogleDave Le Breton John, Heather and the team have been looking after our growing company with the highest standards of care and attention over the last 4 years. Extremely knowledgeable, friendly and great communicators, they really go above and beyond with their level of service and we have always felt extremely well looked after for all our accounting needs. I would highly recommend them to any individual or business.Posted on GoogleKatarina McNamara Paul's Tennis Academy has been working with Jim, John, Heather and the team for many years now. TGG have always been there for us, ready to answer any questions and provide the level of support we need. The Garis Group rocks! I would not hesitate recommending them.Posted on GoogleLeesa Brown Super knowledgeable and always helpful. They have guided and helped build our successful business. The team at The Garis Group go above and beyond to ensure we understand the figures, offering friendly advise and guidance on business decisions. Can not thank them enough. Couldn't do it without John and his team.Posted on GoogleChris and Jaclyn John explains things clearly and he’s incredibly knowledgeable. We see him not only as a trusted advisor – using his business acumen to be candid about when we should and shouldn’t do something – but also as an extension to our team. Essentially John allows us get on with running our business, so we can sleep at night knowing we’re not going to get caught out by the tax man.
Frequently Asked Questions
Tradies often have accounting questions that don’t come up in a general small-business context. As accountants for tradies, here are some of the questions we’re asked most often.
It’s worth it earlier than most tradies expect. Even as a sole trader, getting your BAS, super and deductions right from the start avoids problems that are far more expensive to fix later, and a good accountant often pays for themselves through the deductions and structure advice alone.
Common deductions include tools, safety gear, work vehicle expenses, insurance and some training costs, though what applies depends on your specific trade and circumstances. We review your situation rather than applying a generic list that might miss something you’re entitled to.
A Taxable Payments Annual Report is an ATO requirement for businesses in certain industries, including trades, to report payments made to contractors each financial year. If you pay subcontractors, it likely applies to you, and we can confirm this and prepare it correctly.
We look at your bank statements, financial records and job costing to identify where cash gets tied up, whether that’s slow progress payments or upfront material costs, so you can plan around it rather than being caught out when a big expense lands before payment comes in.
We start with a free business consultation to understand your trade business and financial circumstances, then set out a fixed-price agreement so you know the cost upfront, with no surprises.
Running a trade business well takes focus, and few tradies have spare hours to be their own bookkeeper and accountant as well. We’ll take the time to understand your particular circumstances before recommending anything.
Book a free business consultation with our team, and we’ll talk you through what working with a tradie accountant could look like for your business, with a fixed-price agreement so there’s no guesswork about cost.
Mon-Fri: 8:45 am – 5:15 pm
Sat-Sun: Closed