Should I buy an irrigation business or start one?

Irrigation is a seasonal trade with a small number of skilled people. Whether to buy or start is not a question of one being better. It is about what you already have and what you would rather not build. Think about your own experience, your savings and how long you can go without a steady pay.

What an existing company gives you

An established firm comes with customers who book spring start-ups and fall shut-downs each year, technicians who know the work, supplier accounts and the records of systems it has installed. Those records tell you where the next service call is likely to come from. A new firm has none of this, and it takes seasons to build.

What starting gives you

A start-up carries no history. You choose your customers, your suppliers and your methods, and you inherit no call-backs on someone else’s installations. The cost is time. You must win your first customers, hire and train people, and carry a slow first season. If you already have the trade skills and a few steady clients, this route can suit you.

Questions to ask yourself

• Can you do the work yourself, or would you depend on the technicians who come with the firm?
• How would you cover the slow months, whichever route you choose?
• Does a buyer’s lender want to see experience in the trade?
• Would you rather inherit a business’s habits or set your own?

If buying appeals, read how much cash you need to buy a business before you decide. If you lean toward starting, the BDC business plan template is a practical place to begin.