Bookkeeper vs Controller

Bookkeeper, Accountant, or Controller: Which Does Your Construction Company Actually Need?

You know you need help with your finances. But when you start looking, the options get confusing fast.

Should you hire a bookkeeper? An accountant? A Controller? A CFO?

Here's the framework we use to help construction companies figure out what they actually need.

The Four Levels of Financial Help

Level 1: Bookkeeper

A bookkeeper handles day-to-day financial transactions: recording bills and invoices, processing payroll, reconciling bank accounts, basic data entry.

This is essential work. Without accurate bookkeeping, everything else falls apart.

But bookkeeping is backward-looking. It tells you what happened. It doesn't tell you what to do about it.

Level 2: Accountant / CPA

An accountant interprets financial data and ensures compliance: preparing tax returns, year-end financial statements, tax planning and strategy, audit support.

Most construction companies need a CPA—especially one familiar with construction. But CPAs typically focus on annual compliance, not monthly financial management.

Level 3: Controller

A Controller ensures data accuracy AND builds useful systems. This includes: financial system architecture, job cost management, WIP schedules for bonding, cash flow forecasting, monthly financial close and reporting.

Controllers bridge the gap between raw bookkeeping data and strategic decision-making. They ensure your numbers are right AND useful.

Level 4: CFO

A CFO handles strategic finance: capital structure, investor relations, M&A activity, long-term financial planning, board reporting.

Most construction companies under $10M don't need a CFO. They don't have complex capital structures or M&A needs. What they have is messy books and incomplete job costing.

What Most Contractors Actually Need

Here's the pattern we see: Contractors in the $500K-$10M range typically have a bookkeeper handling day-to-day transactions and a CPA for annual taxes.

What's missing is the Controller function—someone ensuring the data is accurate, building systems for job costing and cash flow, and producing reports that help them run the business.

The problem is that full-time Controllers cost $80K-$120K+. That's a lot of overhead for a $2M contractor.

The solution? Fractional Controller services—Controller-level expertise on a monthly engagement basis.

How to Know Which Level You Need

Ask yourself: What questions can't you answer with your current financial setup?

If you can't tell which jobs are profitable, you need job costing—Controller-level work.

If you're constantly surprised by cash flow, you need forecasting—Controller-level work.

If you need WIP reports for bonding, that's Controller-level work.

If you're happy with your reporting and want help with capital strategy or M&A—then you might be ready for a CFO.

Salisbury Bookkeeping provides fractional Controller services for construction companies. We fill the gap between basic bookkeeping and strategic CFO advisory. Learn more about our fractional controller approach or schedule a consultation to discuss which level of financial support your company needs.