​Stop Leaving Money on the Table: The Ultimate Write-Off Checklist for BC Trades

The "Don't Miss It" Expense Guide for Tradespeople

Let’s be honest: you didn’t start your plumbing, electrical, or construction business because you love receipt management. You started it because you’re good at the trade.

​But here is the hard truth about running a business in BC: If you spend money to earn money, you need to track it.

​Every receipt you lose, wash in your jeans pocket, or let fade on your dashboard is literally money you are handing over in taxes that you didn't need to pay. As a bookkeeper specializing in trades, I see this all the time—thousands of dollars in valid deductions missing simply because they weren't recorded.

​To help you keep more of your hard-earned cash, I’ve put together this "Don't Miss It" checklist of common write-offs for Canadian tradespeople.

​🛠️ On The Job Site (Direct Costs)

​These are the obvious ones, but they are also the easiest to lose track of if you're buying small items with cash or personal cards.

​Materials & Supplies: Lumber, pipe, wire, screws, glue, etc.

​Subcontractors: Payments to other trades (Make sure you get their GST number!).

​Equipment Rentals: Excavators, scaffolding, specialty tools.

​Permits & Licenses: City permits and trade certification renewals.

​Small Tools: Drills, saws, hammers (typically items under $500 are expensed immediately, while big machinery is an asset).

​Safety Gear: Steel-toe boots, hard hats, high-vis vests, safety glasses.

​Freight & Delivery: Costs to get materials to the site.

​Waste Removal: Dump fees and bin rentals.

​🚚 The Work Truck (Vehicle Expenses)

​Note: To claim these, you MUST keep a mileage log separating work km from personal km. The CRA loves to audit this!

​Fuel & Oil

​Insurance & Registration

​Repairs & Maintenance: Tires, oil changes, windshields.

​Lease Payments or Loan Interest

​Parking & Tolls

​🏢 The "Office" (Overhead)

​Even if your office is just your kitchen table and a laptop, these costs count.

​Advertising: Business cards, website hosting, branded swag (hats/shirts), lawn signs.

​Meals: Food/drink purchased while meeting a client or working away from your home area (Deductible at 50%).

​Bank & Merchant Fees: Monthly account fees, e-transfer fees, and transaction fees from apps like Square or Stripe.

​Professional Fees: Bookkeeping (that's me!), accounting, legal advice.

​Software: QuickBooks Online, Dext, Jobber, ServiceTitan.

​Telephone & Internet: The business portion of your cell phone and home internet bill.

​💡 The "Dext Expert" Tip: Stop Stuffing Receipts in the Visor

​The number one reason tradespeople miss out on write-offs isn't because they don't know what to claim—it's because they lose the proof.

​Thermal paper receipts (like the ones from gas stations and Home Depot) fade. By the time tax season rolls around, that piece of paper might be blank.

​The Solution? Go Digital.

At Anchor Peak Bookkeeping, I set my clients up with Dext. It’s an app on your phone.

​Buy your materials.

​Snap a photo of the receipt right there in the truck.

​Throw the paper away.

​Dext reads the receipt, extracts the data, and pushes it directly into QuickBooks Online. It’s audit-proof, organized, and takes 10 seconds.

​Need Help Getting Organized?

​If looking at this list gives you a headache, or if you're currently staring at a shoebox full of receipts from 2025, let’s chat.

​I’m April, the owner of Anchor Peak Bookkeeping here in Lake Country. I specialize in helping trades businesses get off the paper treadmill and into a clear, digital system.

​Disclaimer: This checklist is for informational purposes to help you gather your records. Tax laws can change. Always consult with a professional bookkeeper or accountant to confirm eligibility for your specific situation.