Buying a concrete and masonry company in Orlando and Central Florida

• 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.

• 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?

This region covers Orange, Seminole, Osceola, Lake, Sumter and Marion counties: Orlando, Winter Park, Kissimmee, St. Cloud, Sanford, Clermont, Leesburg, Ocala and the large retirement communities of Sumter and Lake counties. Tourism is what the area is best known for, built on the theme parks, the hotels, the vacation rental homes around Kissimmee and the Orange County Convention Center. It's far from the only business. The University of Central Florida and the military simulation and training offices near it support a technology base, and health care is a major employer.

Marion County is horse country, with thoroughbred farms around Ocala, and it has added warehouses and distribution centers along Interstate 75. Retirees in Sumter and Lake create steady demand for medical practices, home care, home maintenance and auto services. The building trades, restaurants, and companies that serve hotels and rental homes do well across the region.

Central Florida is inland, so storm surge isn't the worry it is on the coasts. Hurricanes still bring wind damage and flooding, though: Hurricane Ian flooded neighborhoods in Orange, Seminole and Osceola counties in 2022. Ask whether the business or its customers were affected.

Tourism keeps demand steadier through the year than in markets that depend on winter residents, with busy stretches around school holidays. Hotels, parks and restaurants compete hard for workers, which pushes up wages for any company that hires hourly staff. New homes have spread fast in Osceola, south Lake and southeast Orange counties and around Ocala, so check whether a company's customers are in growing areas or older ones. Traffic on Interstate 4 limits how much ground a service company can cover in a day.