Buying a concrete and masonry company in Florida

Concrete and masonry contractors pour foundations, slabs, driveways, sidewalks and walls, and lay concrete block, brick and stone. Concrete block is a common way to build homes in Florida, so many of these companies are subcontractors to homebuilders and general contractors: pouring footings and slabs, laying block walls, and forming and filling tie beams. Others work directly for homeowners and property managers on driveways, patios, pool decks, pavers, decorative concrete and repairs.

Builder work is bid by the house or project, paid in installments, and can rise and fall quickly with housing starts. Driveways, patios and repairs for owners are smaller, more varied and paid by the job. Almost every job is one-time; what repeats is the builders and contractors who keep sending work. A typical company has a few crews of finishers, block masons and laborers, each with a foreman, trucks and trailers, a concrete pump (often rented or subcontracted), and an owner who does the estimating and handles the builders.

• Several builder and contractor customers, so one builder's slowdown doesn't stop the company.
• Foremen who read plans and run a pour or a wall without the owner. A bad pour can't be undone, so judgment on site matters.
• Records showing margin per house, per square foot or per job, by customer.
• Steady work for property owners (driveways, patios, pool decks, repairs) to carry you when builders slow down.
• Reliable concrete and block suppliers that offer good credit terms and deliver on time.
• Few cracked slabs, failed inspections or callbacks (return trips to fix work).
• Crews that can work through Florida's summer heat and afternoon storms without losing pours or people.
• Forms, mixers, saws and trucks in good condition.

Unlike plumbing or roofing, concrete and block work needs no state license of its own. A licensed general, building or residential contractor is responsible for structural work on a building, and many concrete companies subcontract under one. Florida law lets an unlicensed subcontractor work under a licensed contractor's supervision, within that contractor's license, if the contractor takes responsibility for it.

The Construction Industry Licensing Board at the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation also offers voluntary specialty certifications in structural masonry (foundations, slabs, block and brick walls), structural precast concrete, and plaster and lath (section 489.113(6)). Cities and counties may still license work in those categories, but state law bars them from requiring a license for driveways, decorative stone and tile, stucco and similar work. Ask each county where the company works which credentials it needs, and expect a local business tax receipt.

Florida requires workers' compensation for construction businesses with even one employee, and corporate officers count unless they hold a state exemption.

• Revenue by builder or contractor for three years: does one dominate?
• Money owed, including retainage (held back until the job is done), and how fast each builder pays.
• Callback and warranty history: cracked slabs, settlement, failed inspections, and any claims or lawsuits.
• Whether crews are employees or subcontractors, and proof of workers' compensation for everyone.
• Equipment such as pumps, mixers, skid steers, saws, trucks and forms: age, condition, and any financing.
• Supplier accounts, credit terms and any personal guarantees the owner signed, which you'll likely be asked to replace.
• How prices on fixed-price bids kept up with the cost of concrete, steel and block.
• Injury history and workers' compensation costs; this work is physically hard on crews.

• Who are your three biggest customers, and how long have you worked with each?
• How much of your work is for builders versus property owners?
• Who does the estimating, and who runs a pour when you're not there?
• What licenses or certifications do you have, and whose name are they in?
• Have you had any slab or foundation claims, and how did they turn out?
• What do you do when material prices jump after you've bid a job?
• Are your crews employees or subcontractors?