Buying an engineering or architecture firm in Southwest 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 Lee, Collier, Charlotte, Sarasota and Manatee counties on the Gulf coast and Hendry, Glades and DeSoto inland: Fort Myers, Cape Coral, Naples, Bonita Springs, Punta Gorda, Port Charlotte, Sarasota, Venice, Bradenton, LaBelle, Clewiston, Moore Haven and Arcadia. The coastal economy runs on people who choose to live or spend the winter here: retirees, seasonal residents, and the construction, real estate, health care, financial and home services that follow them. Tourism, golf and boating add to it.

Inland, the economy is agricultural: sugarcane around Clewiston, citrus, cattle and vegetables, with Immokalee in Collier County a center for farm work. The building trades, pool, landscaping and pest control companies, property managers, medical and dental practices, and marine businesses tend to do well along the coast.

This is one of Florida's most seasonal markets. From roughly January through April, restaurants, shops and service companies run at full speed. Summers are slower, so look at monthly revenue, not only the yearly total. The coast has taken two major hurricanes in recent years: Ian came ashore at Cayo Costa in Lee County in September 2022, and Milton at Siesta Key in Sarasota County in October 2024. Rebuilding brought a wave of work for contractors that won't last forever, so ask how much recent revenue came from storm repairs. Insurance costs and flood zones weigh on every property.

Housing costs near the coast make hiring hard, especially around Naples. New communities east of Interstate 75 in Lee, Collier, Charlotte and Manatee keep service companies busy.