6 Common Exit Strategies for Contractors

Contracting is a capital-intensive and risky business with potentially volatile profit margins.

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The construction business is also amazing, with the owners making a good return on their capital. Management teams and employees earn a great living while building projects they can be proud of that will last for generations.

Succession: Six Common Exit Strategies for Contractors. Liquidation, Pass Down to Family, Strategic Sale to Outside Buyer, Merger with Similar Contractor, Sale to Management, Sale to Employees.

The majority of contractors are privately owned by a small group of people who are usually also managing the business. 

Over time, those owners need to: 

  • Reduce how much time they spend in the business
  • Get their capital out of the business
  • Reduce their risks

There are 6 common exit strategies for these owners:

  1. Wind Down / Liquidation
  1. Pass Down to Family
  1. Strategic Sale to Outside Buyer
  1. Merger With Similar Contractor
  1. Sale to Management
  1. Sale to Employees (ESOP)

Each of these strategies has different dynamics for the net valuation amount, time, and risk. Not every strategy is available to or right for every contractor.  

We will explore each of these in more detail with future posts to help you identify which might be best for your situation.  


6 Common Exit Strategies for Contractors
Continue building value in your business, yourself and your key team members with a good succession strategy....

6 Common Exit Strategies for Contractors
Continue building value in your business, yourself and your key team members with a good succession strategy....

Succession - There is No One Best Way
As systems become more complex (or V.U.C.A.), such as operating a company or succession planning, there is not a single “One Best Way” that will work in all situations.
Roles of Investment Bankers and Business Brokers
Investment bankers can play a critical role, especially if the exit strategy is selling to a strategic buyer or merger with another contractor.
Situational Awareness - Learning to See
It is critical for project teams to develop a model of the project in their minds so that they can quickly make the thousands of decisions required to keep the project on-track. This is called Situational Awareness and includes three basic layers.