What should I look at in a garage door company’s spring and opener stock?

Walk the shelves and the trucks with the inventory list in hand. Springs come in many sizes and openers in several models, so a shelf that looks full may hold little that matches current jobs. Look for rust, damaged packaging, discontinued models and anything that has been sitting through several seasons. Old stock may still be sellable, but it should not be counted as if it were fresh.

Ask how stock is ordered and tracked. Does the company buy to a rule, or by feel? Are parts on trucks counted, and who is responsible for them? Truck stock is easy to forget and easy to lose. Also ask whether any of the stock is held on consignment or still owed to a supplier, because that affects what you actually own at closing.

Decide with the seller how inventory will be handled in the deal: counted at closing, included in the sale or adjusted separately. Your lawyer can write the method into the agreement, and your accountant can tell you how the stock appears in the statements and whether the count matches. Photograph what you count, and have the seller initial the count sheet so there is no later argument about what was there.

Key takeaways

• Count shelf and truck stock in person and compare with the inventory records.
• Separate current, fitting stock from old, damaged or discontinued items.
• Agree in writing how inventory will be counted and handled at closing.