Cost accounting in construction

Even the cost of construction is a complex process that takes place in several stages. In this material we consider in more detail the accounting features associated with such aspects as the timing of construction work and the discrepancy between the plan and the fact in the cost of work. Also, the reader will be recommended articles relating to other important nuances associated with the consideration of construction.

Individual characteristics of the construction process

Despite the fact that accounting in construction in the Russian Federation is based on general requirements and regulations, it is characterized by a large number of individual characteristics. The reason for the presence of these features is the specificity of the construction process. As the main individual characteristics of the construction for this article, we highlight:

The duration of the contract. As a result of this, usually the beginning of work and its completion relate to different reporting (including tax) periods.

From the atypical duration of the working cycle, the following feature follows - phasing. Both delivery to the customer and payment by the customer of the work usually take place in several stages. This leads to specifics in the formation of revenue and cost.

In relation to the formation of cost in construction, there are also a number of special techniques and methods. The main purpose of these methods is to compensate for the uncertainty in the reliability of the estimation of the financial result from the considered construction object, if possible. On the one hand, based on accounting principles, receiving advances from construction customers does not provide sufficient confidence that revenue can be determined on the basis of these advances. On the other hand, the planned cost figures determined in the course of work also cannot be considered completely suitable values ​​for taking them into account in the formation of the financial result.

Nuances associated with the timing of work

In situations where the start and end dates of the work fall on different reporting periods, the PBU 2/2008 norms apply (approved by the order of the Ministry of Finance dated 24.10.2008 No. 116n). Due to the nature of the process, construction almost always falls within the scope of PBU 2/2008. Thus, the construction records are kept in accordance with the PBU 2/2008 method “as soon as possible”.

To understand the essence of the method, let us dwell in more detail on such an important definition as a “construction project”. In accordance with the Town Planning Code of the Russian Federation dated December 29, 2004 No. 190-FZ, the construction object is not a temporary building, a structure. Note that in the order of the Ministry of Finance dated December 20, 1994, No. 167, which was in force before the adoption of PBU 2/2008, on accounting for capital construction contracts, there was one more characteristic - the existence of a separate estimate or a separate project for a building, structure, construction. Now this norm is not specified.

According to the current PBU 2/2008, in order to determine the object for accounting, it is necessary to study the contract (s) and technical documentation:

As a separate contract (and, therefore, the accounting object) should be considered:

an object for which there is separate documentation (presumably, including an estimate or a project referred to in the "old" regulations);

an object for which income and expenses can be determined with a sufficient degree of certainty.

As one contract (and an accounting object), several contracts should be considered if:

all contracts essentially relate to a single entity for which uniform accounting standards are established (for example, for profit);

contracts are connected by the order of execution - the work is being performed simultaneously or sequentially.

For each accounting object defined by the above criteria, it is then necessary to determine one of 2 possible ways to determine income and expenses:

according to the share of completed work in the total amount of work under the contract (facility);

according to the share of expenses already incurred at the reporting date in the total planned construction costs.

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