Commercial Contractor Businesses for sale in Canada
Business for sale by regions of Canada
FAQ
- Which contractor licences and registrations must I verify?Check provincial trade, safety and workers' compensation registrations, plus municipal business licences and permits relevant to each service. Determine whether qualifications belong to the company or named individuals who may leave after closing.
- How should I evaluate a contractor's backlog?Review every signed contract, change order, estimate-to-complete and billing schedule. Recalculate expected gross margin using current labour and material costs, and exclude unsigned awards or work that customers can cancel without meaningful penalty.
- Why are lien and holdback records important?Construction lien, prompt-payment and holdback rules differ by province. Reconcile amounts retained from customers and subcontractors, lien deadlines, disputed invoices and trust obligations so historical projects do not create unexpected cash demands.
- Can existing bonds and contract security continue after a sale?Do not assume so. Review bid, performance and labour-and-material bonds, letters of credit and indemnities with the surety. Confirm new underwriting, personal guarantees and customer approvals needed for current and future contracts.
- Which safety records should I inspect before buying?Request provincial inspection orders, workers' compensation statements, injury logs, safety certifications and subcontractor clearance records. Price any open corrective work and assess whether poor performance will raise premiums or restrict bidding eligibility.
- How dependent is the business on specific people or subcontractors?Map estimating, project management, site supervision and trade qualifications to named employees. Review subcontractor concentration, rates, insurance and agreements, then model operations if the seller, a qualifier or a preferred crew does not remain.