From Portland Business Brokers Group.
Separate maintenance routes from project work
Recurring maintenance and installation jobs create different revenue patterns. Present each with its direct labor, materials and equipment costs.
Check renewal terms, cancellation rights and assignment clauses. A customer who has renewed for years may still have no obligation to stay after ownership changes.
Show who keeps the work moving
- List crew leaders and the decisions they handle without you.
- Document scheduling, estimating and customer complaint routines.
- Identify vehicles and equipment with loans or leases.
- Explain seasonal staffing and cash needs.
If you still estimate every job, start recording the process. A buyer needs to know whether that role can be handed to a manager or requires the buyer's own time.
Match permissions to the work performed
Landscaping businesses do not all perform the same work. Identify the licenses and registrations relevant to your actual services rather than treating every contractor as one category.
If part of the operation falls under the CCB, review its ownership and personnel reporting process separately. Ask the relevant agency about any other permissions used by your crews.
Value the operation, then discuss the terms
Equipment has a role in the deal, but it is not a substitute for supportable operating earnings. Explain maintenance needs and the spending a buyer will inherit.