How is buying a mobile sandblasting business different from buying a blast shop?

Both businesses clean and prepare surfaces, but they are built differently. That changes what you inspect, what can go wrong and what the owner’s time is really spent on. Decide which way you want to work before you compare listings, and read each against its own checklist.

What a mobile rig comes with

Look at the compressor, blast pots, hoses, trailer and truck, and ask for service records on each. Ask how many hours the owner is on the road and how jobs are priced for travel. Find out who the clients are, such as contractors, municipalities or industrial plants, and whether they rebook. Many mobile jobs follow the weather, so ask what the quiet months look like.

What a blast shop comes with

A fixed shop depends on its building. Read the lease, ask who owns the blast room and dust collector, and check how well the collector works. Ask who brings in the work: walk-in customers, coaters, fabricators or industrial accounts. A shop with a few large accounts is steadier but more exposed if one leaves. Ask your lawyer about the lease and any permits tied to the site.

Comparing the two

A rig can move to follow demand, while a shop has a fixed address and regular customers. A rig usually has less overhead but more wear on equipment and more dependence on the owner’s own labour. Ask each seller how much of the work depends on the owner personally, and how much training a new operator would need.