newbie contractor

[mikef]

Hi,

I'm making a switch from permie to contracting mainly as a lifestyle choice. I was hoping someone could help me with a recommendation.

I've got an IT company already - my wife is the director, in which both (but mostly I) have invested into getting a SaaS (software as a service/web based) product out on the market. I've put overall about 8-10K into it and it has not taken off yet - bringing in about 100 pounds a month, but I do believe in it and I want to invest further into it (the market for it has a higher barrier of entry, but I'm ok to have it as a pet project and keep investing into it).
I'm happy to do the bookkeeping for this pet project, I already use QuickFile for it and I've done a filing on my own.

I'm looking to start contracting on this company and merge the expenses, etc. into one. I'm planning to use some of the cashflow from contracting to sustain the SaaS and contract out services (e.g. programming, web design, SEO) - which I've already done on websites like Odesk.

I'm looking for recommendations for accountants/accounting companies that will:
1. Help take the existing company and fix the structure for it, review the accounts so far, set up a way going forward - a one off
2. Help me with both the contracting side and the SaaS as one business

I know some of the big accounting companies have low fixed prices but I suspect they only handle the contracting side and the bare minimum required there. Do you have any recommendations for some "gentle" accountants that are good to work with who might handle the situation above and won't cost an arm and a leg?

I was wondering also if anyone else is mixing various streams of work/cash into one business like I'm trying to do - I would think it's pretty common. Anything to look out for?

Apologies as this post turned out to be so long, any help and genuine recommendations are very much welcome.

Thank you,
Mike

[Jessica@WhiteFieldTax]

Good luck with expanding your business.

I would think any accountancy firm who is a pukka qualified and regulated firm, eg Chartered Certified Accountanrs, Charterd Accountants, Charterd Management Accountant, ought to be able to do this for you, especially if they have a mix of contractor and non contractor clients rather than be contractor only. Sure it requires a little thought, but it's quite straight forward for those of us who do this daily, probably the same as your software is for you (but leaves me cold).

Try a few of the accountants on here, see whether you like the feel of their reply; that's probably as important as anything.

By all means include us on the list (but both myself and my accounts manager are out of office tomorrow though, will pick up email in evening), it's the sort of thing we've done several times for clients, but I don't want this reply to be an advertising plug (and incur the wrath of those in charge)