Buying an engineering or architecture firm in Orlando and Central Florida

• A backlog of signed work several months deep, with proposals out for more.
• Continuing public contracts the firm has kept through more than one selection round.
• Several licensed professionals, so no single person signs everything and the firm can survive a departure.
• Repeat clients spread across developers, contractors and public agencies, so a slowdown in one doesn't stop the firm.
• A clean record on claims and solid professional liability insurance.
• Project managers who track hours against fees, so fixed-fee jobs stay profitable.
• Current design software, drone or scanning equipment for survey work, and well-kept project files.
• Younger engineers or architects working toward licenses: the firm's future signers.

• Backlog and proposals still out, by client.
• Which licensed people sign and seal the work, and whether they'll stay. Consider employment agreements or a share of ownership.
• Professional liability insurance and claims. Claims can come years after a project, so arrange coverage for past work.
• Public contracts: how they were awarded, whether they transfer, and any certifications (small, women- or minority-owned) that depend on the current owners. A firm holding federal small business contracts must recertify its size and status within 30 days after an acquisition (13 CFR 125.12).
• Work in progress and unbilled fees on long projects.
• Reliance on one developer or government client, and how the firm did in the last construction slowdown.

• Who signs and seals the firm's work today, and do they plan to stay?
• How many months of signed work do you have lined up?
• Which public agencies do you have continuing contracts with, and when do they renew?
• Have you had any professional liability claims in the last ten years?
• How much of your work comes through you personally?
• Do any contracts depend on certifications tied to you as the owner?
• What software or equipment is due for replacement soon?

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.