What should I check about the bays and yard before buying a heavy truck repair shop?

A heavy truck shop depends on its building. A tractor with a long trailer does not fit where a pickup does, and a shop that turns work away because a unit will not fit has a ceiling on its income. Visit the site on a working day and watch how units move in and out. The page on what to check before buying a muffler and exhaust shop covers a shop’s tools; this one covers the premises.

Bays and doors

Measure the length, width and door clearance of each bay against the units the shop actually services. Ask whether bays drive through or force trucks to back out, since that affects both safety and how quickly work flows. Look at any pits and lifts, and ask when they were last inspected and by whom.

Yard space

Units wait for parts, for approval and for a free bay, and they need somewhere to sit. Check whether the yard can hold them, whether trucks can turn without blocking the road or a neighbour, and whether the surface and lighting suit the work. Ask what happens when the yard fills up and whether the shop has ever turned work away.

Wash bay and drainage

Ask where wash water goes, how oil and fluids are collected, and who has looked at the drainage. Your lawyer can tell you whether a site assessment is wise, and the seller should be willing to share any earlier reports.

Lease terms that protect the building

If the shop is leased, read the lease with the premises in mind: how long it runs, whether you may renew, whether the landlord must consent to a transfer, and who pays for repairs to the building and yard. Have your lawyer review it before you rely on it.