What should I check before buying a masonry contractor?

A masonry contractor sells skilled labour and finished work that stays on a building for decades. That makes the quality of past walls and the people who built them the heart of your review. Ask for records, then visit a few finished jobs if the seller agrees. Use the checks below alongside the general due diligence your accountant and lawyer run on any business.

The mix of work and who it comes from

New construction depends on builders and their schedules. Repair and restoration depends on property owners, managers and heritage-minded clients, and often pays differently. Ask for a breakdown of recent jobs by type and by customer. Note whether a few builders send most of the work, and whether those relationships belong to the firm or to the owner personally.

Call-backs, warranty work and the crew

Ask how often the firm returns to fix finished work, what those repairs cost and how disputes with customers were settled. Then look at the people. Which masons are lead hands, how long have they stayed, and would they stay under a new owner? A firm that loses its two best masons can lose its schedule with them.

Equipment, winter and what to hand to your lawyer

Inspect scaffolding, mixers, saws and trucks, and ask what is owned, leased or borrowed. Find out how the firm keeps crews busy in cold months, through heated enclosures, interior work or time off. Questions about trade certification, safety obligations and building rules vary by place, so ask your lawyer what applies to this firm before you rely on the seller’s answers.