Who Usually Buys
- Larger regional contractor
- Wants your crews, your trucks and your standing with local operators.
- Private equity backed platform
- Looks for roll up targets with steady maintenance work and at least a million in EBITDA.
- Senior manager or partner
- Knows the customers and can finance a deal with a bank loan plus a seller note.
Buyers Look at Cycles First
A buyer reading your numbers will ask what happened in the last downturn. Three to five years of results matter, because they show how the company behaved when work slowed.
Maintenance and compliance work holds up better than new drilling support. If a large share of your revenue is recurring, say so and prove it with invoices by customer.
Customer Concentration Is the Common Problem
Many service companies lean on one or two operators. When your top customers make up more than about fifteen to twenty percent of sales, buyers often discount the price by a similar share or walk away.
Our guide on customer concentration shows how sellers reduce that discount before listing.
Equipment and Crews
Trucks, pumps and trailers are real value, yet buyers haircut depreciation add backs when equipment is old. A fair rule is to treat at least half of your depreciation as ongoing maintenance spending until you can show better.
Crew depth matters as much. If your foreman holds every relationship, a buyer sees an owner dependent company and prices it that way. Documented procedures and safety records help.
Permits Follow the Business
Yards and equipment often carry air permits that do not move on their own. See the page on air district permit transfers and plan the handoff early.
Trucks that haul on public roads also raise motor carrier questions, covered in our motor carrier page.
What to Prepare Before You List
- Revenue by customer for the last three to five years
- An equipment list with serial numbers and condition notes
- Safety records and insurance loss history
- Written lease terms for your yard and shop
- Clean, reconciled books from your CPA
Ready to see a range? Request a confidential valuation.