Describe how work is earned
Explain your project types, contract arrangements, billing process, geographic footprint, and mix of employees and subcontractors. Give the candidate a picture of how your accounting team tracks projects. Gross revenue alone does not explain the work required.
Ask the prospective firm to describe the records it needs to understand the business. A useful interview should reach beyond a year-end income statement to the underlying operating information relevant to the agreed assignment.
Evaluate coordination with accounting
Construction businesses may maintain job-level information alongside general accounting records. Ask how the tax team works with your controller or outside bookkeeper to reconcile the information it uses. The adviser should be able to specify the format and timing of requests.
If your lender, bonding provider, or investors need financial reporting, clarify which services the firm provides and which require a separate engagement. Do not assume tax preparation includes assurance or other specialized reporting.
- Identify the owner of job-level records.
- Ask how new projects in other states are reviewed.
- Separate tax work from lender or bonding reporting.
Test change handling
Use an expected event, such as acquiring equipment, bidding work in a new region, or adding an owner, to test the service model. Ask when the adviser needs to be involved and what output it provides.
Cash timing can matter greatly to a contractor. Ask whether projections use current business information and how the analysis is updated when project timing changes. Avoid selecting a firm on a fixed savings illustration disconnected from the operating calendar.
Choose for record quality and scale
Ask how the firm handles incomplete records and whether cleanup work is included. A fast-growing contractor may need accounting improvements before a planning engagement can be productive. Request a clear sequence rather than trying to solve every issue at once.
Compare candidates on their ability to coordinate project data, communicate with your finance team, and support the decisions ahead. Industry experience should appear in specific questions and deliverables.
- Next step: provide a sample project report and ask each candidate to explain its intake needs.