CIS & Tax
How CIS works for subcontractors: the plain-English guide
The 20% and 30% rates, what CIS is actually deducted from, and how subcontractors get their money back, explained without the jargon.
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The Sitewise blog
Guides for getting the job done, and the admin with it.
Straight-talking guides for UK trades and construction teams. CIS, invoicing, timesheets, safety paperwork and the day-to-day of running a job, written by a team that has actually run sites.
Invoicing
How to send a CIS invoice (with the 20% worked out)
What to put on a CIS invoice, how to separate labour and materials, and a worked example so the 20% is right every time.
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Health & Safety
RAMS meaning: risk assessment and method statement explained
What RAMS actually means, how a risk assessment differs from a method statement, and when a UK site expects them.
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Time & Pay
How to track hours and timesheets on a construction site
Why paper and WhatsApp timesheets cost you money, and what tracking hours on site should actually look like.
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Materials & Cost
How to manage materials on site and stop overspend
Where materials overspend really comes from, and how to keep orders, deliveries and requests under control on a live job.
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Running the Job
The real cost of construction admin (and how to cut it)
Admin is the hidden tax on every trade business. Here is where the hours really go, and how to claw them back.
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CIS & Tax
The VAT reverse charge for construction, explained
What the VAT domestic reverse charge is, when it applies to your invoices, and the wording that keeps you right.
Read the guideRunning the Job
How to price a building job without underquoting
How to cost labour, materials, overheads and margin properly, and the hidden extras that quietly turn a good job into a bad one.
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CIS & Tax
How to claim your CIS tax refund
Why most subcontractors are owed money at year end, and how to claim your CIS deductions back through Self Assessment.
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Running the Job
Sole trader vs limited company for tradespeople
The real differences in tax, liability and admin, and how to tell when it is worth switching from sole trader to limited company.
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How to register for CIS as a subcontractor (step by step)
A step by step guide to registering for CIS as a UK subcontractor, what you need before you start, and how it moves your deduction rate from 30% to 20%.
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CIS gross payment status: what it is and how to get it
What CIS gross payment status actually means, the three HMRC tests you need to pass, and how to apply for the 0% rate.
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