How do I find out how septic installation work compares with pumping in the business?
Ask the seller to split revenue, costs and crew time between installation and pumping, using job records rather than estimates. Pumping tends to be steady and routine, installation lumpier and more equipment-heavy, so the mix tells you what kind of business you would own.
Start with the split. Request a breakdown by job type from the invoices, then see how much each side contributes after its own costs. Ask whether the same crews and trucks serve both sides or whether each has its own. If shared, ask how the owner assigns hours, because a busy install season can pull people away from pumping routes.
Look at the shape of each side across the calendar. Installation work depends on builders, weather and approvals, so it may arrive in bursts. Pumping repeats on a schedule. Ask how the owner would cope if one side slowed down for a stretch, and whether the equipment for either side sits idle.
Finally, ask what skills the buyer needs. Installation can call for certified people and a different kind of estimating. Ask who holds the knowledge now and whether they are staying. A broker or your accountant can help you read the numbers, and your lender may care which side you are leaning on. If you are using a broker, ask them to bring a few comparable septic businesses so you can see how others balance the two sides. Do not rely only on the seller’s description of the mix.
Key takeaways
- Split revenue and cost by job type from invoices, not from the owner’s recollection.
- Find out whether crews and trucks are shared between the two sides.
- Ask who holds the installation know-how and whether they stay.
Related reading
15 pages on the same subject, grouped by topic.
Buying
- GuideBuying a pool installation and service company in Canada
- Expert answerHow do I read a plumbing company’s mix of service, renovation and new-construction work?
- Expert answerHow do I find a call centre or answering service for sale in Canada?
- Expert answerHow do I find a pool service business for sale in Canada?
- Expert answerHow do I find a tree service business for sale?
- Expert answerHow do I find out if a snow business relies on subcontracted plow trucks?
- Expert answerHow do I find out whether a plumbing company’s best plumber would stay after a sale?
- Expert answerHow do I work out what an ABA clinic owner earns?
- Expert answerHow do I find out if a custom baling business has a few big clients carrying it?
- Expert answerDoes a gutter guard installation sideline help or hurt a gutter cleaning business?
- Expert answerHow do I check how much of a locksmith’s work is emergency call-outs versus scheduled jobs?
Sources
This answer is checked against primary sources. Links were last confirmed on the dates shown.
- 01Business Development Bank of CanadaGovernmentHow to conduct due diligence when buying a business
- 02Business Development Bank of CanadaGovernmentAfter buying a business, what is the next step?
- 03Business Development Bank of CanadaGovernmentWhat are the steps to buying a business?
Deavo is an advertising and listings platform, not a brokerage, law firm or valuation firm. This page is general information, not legal, tax, accounting or valuation advice, and rules differ by province. Confirm anything you rely on with a qualified professional before you act on it.