Running a Civil Construction Business in Australia

‍

How to Run a Civil Construction Design and Labouring Business in Australia — Tax, Compliance & Expert Financial Support

‍

Trinity Accounting Practice – Accounting Firm in Beverly Hills
159 Stoney Creek Road Beverly Hills NSW 2209
02 9543 6804
www.trinitygroup.com.au
Weekend & after-hours appointments available
Book an appointment: https://calendly.com/ramy-hanna

Why Civil Construction Needs Financial Precision

Civil construction is the backbone of Australia’s infrastructure. Whether you're in earthworks, roadworks, drainage, demolition, surveying, structural design, or labour hire, running a civil construction business is complex, risky, and highly regulated. It’s also capital-intensive, with long project cycles, tight margins, and high compliance obligations.

Trinity Accounting Practice supports civil construction professionals with setup, tax, bookkeeping, payroll, and long-term growth advice.

Starting a Civil Construction or Labouring Business

Choose the Right Structure:
• Sole Trader – low-cost for subcontractors, high personal risk
• Company – ideal for projects, tenders, asset protection
• Trust – suitable for tax flexibility and protection
• Partnership – joint business ventures or co-owners

Trinity helps register your ABN, GST, company, or trust and set up PAYG if required.

Licences, Permits & Compliance Requirements

Depending on your services and state:
• Contractor licence (NSW: Fair Trading, QLD: QBCC, VIC: VBA)
• White Card (CPCCWHS1001) for all site workers
• Public liability and workers’ compensation insurance
• Professional indemnity insurance (for design work)
• Safe Work Method Statements (SWMS)
• Union or EBA compliance if required
• ISO certifications (14001, 45001) if bidding for large projects

Claimable Business Expenses for Civil Construction

Equipment and Tools:
• Excavators, compactors, graders
• Power tools, surveying equipment
• Safety gear, fuel, lubricants

Vehicles and Transport:
• Utes, trailers, trucks
• Fuel, insurance, rego
• Lease or finance repayments
• Logbook for business use

Site Expenses:
• Portable toilets
• Fencing, signage
• Permits and waste disposal

Office & Admin:
• Computers, phones
• Accounting and project software
• Xero or MYOB subscriptions
• Legal and advisory fees

Labour & Contractors:
• Subcontractor payments
• Labour hire invoices
• Payroll tax and workers' comp
• Insurance and professional services

Trinity ensures your deductions are accurate, compliant, and audit-ready.

Subcontractor Payments, Payroll & Superannuation

Employees:
• Paid under correct awards (e.g. Building and Construction General On-site Award)
• Overtime, allowances, travel compliance
• 11% super (as of July 2023)
• PAYG and STP lodgements

Subcontractors:
• Must issue ABN invoices
• Reported via Taxable Payments Annual Report (TPAR)
• May require super or workers’ comp if deemed dependent

Trinity helps classify workers properly, set up payroll, and avoid ATO audits.

GST, BAS & Tax in Construction

BAS Reporting:
• Quarterly (or monthly for high turnover)
• GST collected and credits claimed
• PAYG instalments and withholding

Income Tax:
• Sole traders – reported in personal return
• Companies – 25% rate for small business
• Trusts – profits allocated to beneficiaries

Asset Write-Off:
• Deduct high-value items instantly or depreciate
• Trinity calculates optimal tax strategies and schedules

Cash Flow and Project-Based Accounting

Civil projects are often milestone-based or tendered.
Trinity helps you:
• Budget by project phase
• Track real-time profit margins
• Sync invoicing with payment milestones
• Manage wages and supplier payments

Use Xero Projects or integrated costing tools to avoid margin blowouts.

Construction Software Integration

We support seamless integration with:
• Xero, MYOB, QuickBooks – cloud accounting
• Buildertrend, Procore, Simpro – project management
• Deputy, Tanda – timesheets and rosters
• SuiteFiles – cloud document storage

We help connect your systems for accurate reports with minimal admin.

Strategic Growth Tips for Civil Contractors

Our clients succeed when they:
• Tender for government/council work
• Become prequalified vendors
• Expand into design or engineering
• Hire a virtual CFO (VCFO) to guide financial decisions
• Use job costing software
• Adjust rates regularly for inflation and risk
• Maintain safe worksites to reduce liability

How Trinity Accounting Practice Supports Civil Construction

Setup & Compliance:
• ABN, GST, PAYG, and ASIC registration
• Company and trust formation
• EBA and safety document guidance

Bookkeeping & Payroll:
• Weekly bank reconciliation
• Award-compliant payroll
• Super and STP lodgement

Tax & Reporting:
• BAS and income tax
• Instant asset write-offs
• TPAR preparation
• Tax planning before year-end

Strategic Advice:
• Job profitability reports
• Forecasting and budgeting
• Loan and asset finance help
• Business structure reviews

Why Civil Contractors Trust Trinity

• Construction specialists since 2003
• Deep understanding of your industry and risks
• Practical advice tailored to contractors and project managers
• National service with remote and in-person support
• Evening and weekend appointments available
• Fully certified Xero advisors

Let’s Build a Stronger Foundation for Your Business

Trinity Accounting Practice
159 Stoney Creek Road Beverly Hills NSW 2209
02 9543 6804
www.trinitygroup.com.au
Book Now: https://calendly.com/ramy-hanna

Explore More

Learn more about what we offer: https://www.trinitygroup.com.au/services
Discover the industries we specialise in: https://www.trinitygroup.com.au/niches
Read more tax and accounting tips on our blog: https://www.trinitygroup.com.au/explore-learn

‍