Accountant for Tradies — Sydney & Central Coast
You run the tools. We run the numbers.
Electricians, plumbers, carpenters, concreters, painters, tilers — we're accountants for tradies who know your work, your ute and your quarterly BAS. Fixed fees, plain English, and someone who picks up the phone.
Your tax isn't like an office worker's. Your accountant shouldn't be either.
Tradies have tools, a ute, materials on every job, subbies, apprentices and income that swings month to month. A generalist sees a sole trader return. An accountant for tradies sees the ute logbook that's missing, the tools you bought in June, the GST you over-paid on a progress claim and the structure that would have kept your house out of a site dispute.
Getting set up properly
- ABN and business name — so you can invoice, claim business expenses and quote an ABN to builders.
- GST registration — the ATO says you must register once your GST turnover reaches $75,000, and within 21 days of reaching it. Plenty of tradies cross that line mid-year without noticing.
- Cash or accruals GST — small businesses with aggregated turnover under $10 million can account for GST on a cash basis, so you only pay GST when your customer has paid you.
- Cloud bookkeeping — Xero or MYOB with bank feeds and receipt capture, set up with a chart of accounts that makes sense for a trade business.
BAS without the 11pm panic
If you lodge quarterly, your BAS is due 28 October, 28 February, 28 April and 28 July. Lodging through a registered agent can give you extra time on most quarters. We reconcile your books each month so the BAS is a check, not a scramble — and we put money aside in our forecasts so the GST and PAYG bill doesn't come as a shock.
Do you need to lodge a TPAR?
If your business is primarily in building and construction — 50% or more of your income or activity — and you pay subcontractors for building and construction services, the ATO requires a Taxable payments annual report by 28 August each year. Plenty of electricians, plumbers and carpenters who use a subbie now and then don't realise this applies to them. More on BAS & TPAR →
Tools and equipment: the $20,000 instant asset write-off
Small businesses with aggregated turnover under $10 million that use the simplified depreciation rules can immediately deduct each business asset that costs less than $20,000 — new or second-hand. Parliament made the $20,000 limit permanent for assets first used or installed ready for use from 1 July 2026 (the Act received Royal Assent on 26 August 2026).
- The deduction falls in the year the asset is first used or installed ready for use — not the year you paid for it. A tool delivered on 2 July lands in next year's return.
- You only claim the business-use portion, but the asset's full cost must be under $20,000.
- Dearer assets go into the small business pool: 15% in the first year, then 30% a year. The ATO's own example is an electrician whose $40,000 ute is over the limit, so it goes into the pool instead.
Your ute: car or not?
For tax, a "car" is a vehicle designed to carry less than one tonne and fewer than nine passengers. Many utes and vans are designed to carry one tonne or more — and then they are not a car, and you claim the business portion of the actual costs. We check the payload on your rego papers.
| Method | Who can use it | How it works |
|---|---|---|
| Cents per km | Sole traders and partnerships (with an individual partner), for a car only | 88c per km for 2025–26 and 91c per km for 2026–27, up to 5,000 business km per car per year |
| Logbook | Cars | Keep a logbook for at least 12 continuous weeks that represent your usual travel, then claim actual costs × business-use % |
| Actual costs | Utes and vans that carry 1 tonne or more; all companies and trusts | Claim the business portion of fuel, rego, insurance, repairs, interest and depreciation |
Other deductions we check every year
- Protective gear, workwear and safety equipment used for work.
- Phone, software, apps and subscriptions — the business portion.
- Licences, tickets, insurance and training connected to your trade.
- Interest and fees on finance used for the business.
- Personal super contributions — sole traders don't have to pay super guarantee for themselves, but most people can claim a deduction for personal contributions, if they give their fund a notice of intent and get it acknowledged before claiming. These count towards your concessional contributions cap.
Apprentices and employees: Payday Super is here
The super guarantee rate is 12%. Since 1 July 2026, Payday Super means you pay super for each payday instead of quarterly, and it must be received by your worker's fund within 7 business days after payday (20 business days for a new employee's first contribution). The ATO's free Small Business Superannuation Clearing House has closed, so you need another way to pay.
Calling someone a contractor doesn't make them one. The ATO says a label such as "independent contractor" in your agreement won't decide the relationship — and if you get it wrong, you may face penalties. We check before you take on your first worker. Federal employer incentives may also be available for eligible apprentices; we'll check the current rules for you.
PAYG instalments: the bill nobody warns you about
Once your business is profitable, the ATO starts collecting tax in advance. A sole trader is entered into PAYG instalments automatically when their latest return shows business and investment income of $4,000 or more, tax payable of $1,000 or more, and estimated tax of $500 or more. We build instalments into your cash-flow plan so year two doesn't hurt.
Sole trader, company or trust?
Most tradies start as sole traders — it's simple and cheap. As profit grows, a company (often with a family trust) can help with tax planning and keep business risk away from personal assets. It also adds costs and paperwork, so it isn't right for everyone. We model your numbers both ways before you change anything.
Trades we work with
| Trade | What we usually focus on |
|---|---|
| Electricians | Materials on-charged to customers, tools and test equipment, apprentices, contractor vs employee for jobs from builders. |
| Plumbers & gasfitters | Van and stock on hand, emergency call-out pricing, licences and insurance, TPAR if you use subbies. |
| Carpenters & builders | Progress claims and retentions, GST timing, subbie payments, home warranty eligibility once you're contracting direct. |
| Concreters & excavation | Heavy plant and machinery, fuel, equipment finance, cash flow between pours. |
| Painters, tilers & plasterers | Labour-only vs supply-and-install quoting, materials margins, contractor arrangements with builders. |
| Landscapers & fencers | Seasonal cash flow, trailers and equipment, supplier accounts, pricing for profit. |
Everything a trade business needs from its accountant.
One team for your tax, BAS, books and advice — on a fixed fee, so you're never scared to pick up the phone.
Tax returns
Sole trader, partnership, company and trust returns — with every legitimate deduction for your trade checked, and lodged by a registered tax agent.
BAS & GST
Quarterly BAS prepared from reconciled books and lodged on time, with the GST and PAYG set aside in advance so the bill's no surprise.
Bookkeeping that works on site
Xero or MYOB with bank feeds and receipt capture on your phone. Snap the receipt at Bunnings, we'll do the rest.
Sole trader to Pty Ltd
We model whether a company or trust makes sense for you, then set it up — ABN, TFN, GST, bank and books — without a gap in invoicing.
Apprentices & employees
Payroll, Single Touch Payroll, Payday Super and leave for your first apprentice or your fifth — so you stay on the right side of the rules.
Pricing & cash flow
Know your real hourly rate after costs, price jobs for profit, and plan for the quiet months and the tax bill.
Questions tradies ask us.
Do I need an accountant as a sole trader tradie?
You don't have to have one, but most tradies save more than the fee. A tax agent who knows trades will catch deductions and GST errors, keep your BAS on time, and tell you when it's worth moving to a company.
When do I have to register for GST?
The ATO says you must register for GST once your GST turnover reaches $75,000, and you need to register within 21 days. You can register voluntarily below that if it suits your business.
Can I claim my ute?
If you use it for your business, generally yes — the business portion, with the right records. If your ute is designed to carry one tonne or more, it isn't a car for tax and you claim the actual costs. If it is a car, sole traders can use the logbook method or cents per km (91c per km for 2026–27, up to 5,000 business km).
Can I write off tools straight away?
If your business has aggregated turnover under $10 million and uses the simplified depreciation rules, you can immediately deduct each asset that costs less than $20,000, in the year it is first used or installed ready for use. That $20,000 limit is now permanent from 1 July 2026.
Do I have to pay super for myself as a sole trader?
No. The ATO says sole traders don't have to pay super guarantee for themselves. You can still make personal contributions and usually claim a deduction for them, if you give your fund a notice of intent and get it acknowledged first.
Do I have to lodge a TPAR as an electrician or plumber?
Only if your business is primarily in building and construction (50% or more of your income or activity) and you pay contractors for building and construction services. If that applies, the TPAR is due 28 August each year.
Should I switch from sole trader to a company?
It depends on your profit, your personal situation and your risk on site. A company can help with tax planning and asset protection, but it adds cost and paperwork. We run the numbers both ways before you decide.
Where are you based?
Our office is in Norwest, in Sydney's Hills District, and we work with tradies across the Hills, Western Sydney and the Central Coast. Everything can be done by phone, email and Xero, so we also work with tradies across NSW and Australia.
Sources & fine print
Rules, dates and thresholds on this page were checked against these official sources on 7 October 2026. They change — always confirm the current position for your situation.
- ATO — Registering for GST — last updated 14 September 2026
- ATO — Choosing a GST accounting method
- ATO — Due dates for lodging and paying your BAS
- ATO — Taxable payments annual report
- ATO — Instant asset write-off — last updated 28 August 2026
- Treasury Laws Amendment (Tax Reform No. 2) Act 2026 (No. 71 of 2026) — Royal Assent 26 August 2026
- ATO — Deductions for motor vehicle expenses — last updated 27 May 2026
- Cents per km rate determination 2026 (91c for 2026–27) — registered 23 June 2026
- ATO — Super guarantee rates
- ATO — Payment deadlines for Payday Super — last updated 10 August 2026
- ATO — Super for sole traders and partnerships
- ATO — Starting PAYG instalments
- ATO — Difference between employees and independent contractors
General information only. This page is not personal tax or insurance advice. Talk to us about your circumstances before acting on it.
More services for builders
On the tools all day?
Let us handle the tax.
15 minutes on the phone, no charge. Tell us your trade and where your books are at — we'll tell you what we'd fix first.