Accountants for Builders and General Contractors in Ipswich
CIS refunds, contractor CIS support, Self Assessment, VAT and bookkeeping for Ipswich builders and general contractors. No jargon, no surprises, no inflated fees.
Built for builders and general contractors
Tax sorted for Ipswich builders, without the jargon
Building work in Ipswich covers everything from extensions and loft conversions to groundworks and larger new build contracts. Many builders sit on both sides of the Construction Industry Scheme at once: subcontracting to a main contractor on one job while engaging their own subcontractors, such as electricians or roofers, on another. That means you can have CIS deducted from your own invoices and also carry reporting and deduction responsibilities as a contractor. Getting both sides right protects your refund and keeps you compliant.
Hammer & Ledger Tax is based at 50 Princes Street in Ipswich town centre. We work with sole trader builders and small building and general contracting companies across Ipswich and Suffolk, and we understand the trade: materials bought in bulk, subcontractor payments, retentions, and the CIS statements and returns that come with running both sides of a contract.
As Suffolk’s county town, Ipswich has a strong construction pipeline, including large scale developments such as the Ipswich Garden Suburb to the north of town, alongside extension, conversion and renovation work across the established housing stock in the wider IP postcode area. Whether you are subcontracting, running your own contracts with subcontractors, or both, we build your tax and CIS position around what your paperwork actually shows
WHAT WE HANDLE
Accounting services for builders and general contractors
Everything a self-employed heating engineer or small HVAC company in Ipswich needs, under one roof.
CIS Refunds.
If contractors deduct 20 percent from your own invoices, there is a good chance HMRC owes you money once your expenses and personal allowance are factored in. We check every CIS statement and chase your refund through
Self Assessment.
Your tax return prepared, checked in plain English and filed before the 31 January deadline, with every allowable expense claimed correctly.
Bookkeeping
Snap your receipts, we do the rest. Cloud bookkeeping that keeps materials invoices, subcontractor payments and CIS statements matched and filed as you go
VAT for Builders
Registration when you cross the threshold, the right scheme for your work, and the domestic reverse charge handled correctly across contractor and subcontractor invoices.
Sole Trader to Ltd
Earning enough that a limited company might save you tax? We run the numbers on your actual figures and handle formation and Companies House registration if it stacks up.
CIS Contractor Support
If you engage your own subcontractors, we verify them with HMRC, calculate the right deductions and file your monthly CIS returns, so your side of the scheme stays compliant.
HOW IT WORKS
From site paperwork to filed and refunded
Book a free review
A quick call about your work, your income and what you have been claiming so far. No obligation, no sales pitch.
Send us your records
CIS statements, invoices, receipts, mileage. Photos from your phone are fine. We will tell you exactly what we need.
We prepare and file
Your return prepared by an ACMA qualified accountant, checked with you in plain English, then filed with HMRC.
Refund and support
Any CIS refund chased through to your bank account, and year round support whenever a tax question comes up.
WHY HAMMER & LEDGER TAX
Qualified, authorised and on your side
ACMA Qualified
HMRC Authorised Agent
CIMA Member
Professional Indemnity Insured
Sage Partner
FIND US IN IPSWICH
Town centre office, Suffolk wide service
Address
Phone
Email
Prefer not to travel? Everything can be handled by phone, email and WhatsApp. Most of our plumbing clients never need to visit the office.
COMMON QUESTIONS
Builders ask us these a lot
I subcontract to a main contractor but also use my own subcontractors. How does CIS work for me?
You are treated as a subcontractor on the jobs where you are paid by someone else, so tax is deducted from your invoices there. On the jobs where you pay your own subcontractors, you take on contractor responsibilities, including verifying them with HMRC, deducting the right amount and filing monthly CIS returns. We handle both sides.
Do I need to register as a CIS contractor?
If you pay subcontractors for construction work, you generally need to register as a contractor and file monthly CIS returns, even if you are also registered as a subcontractor yourself.
What expenses can a builder claim?
Typical claims include tools and equipment, van costs or mileage, materials bought in bulk, subcontractor payments, workwear and PPE, and insurance. What applies to you depends on your actual set up.
Should I switch from sole trader to a limited company?
It depends mostly on your profit level, your plans and how you take money out of the business. A limited company can also make sense for builders taking on larger contracts or more subcontractors. We run your actual numbers rather than a rule of thumb.
Do I need to visit your Ipswich office?
No. Most building and general contracting clients send their records by phone photo, email or WhatsApp, and we handle everything remotely. The office at 50 Princes Street is available if you would prefer to meet in person.
KEEP EXPLORING
Useful next steps
Ready When YOU ARE
Stop leaving your CIS refund with HMRC.
Book a free review with an Ipswich accountant who actually understands your trade. It takes 15 minutes and costs nothing.
